Ambani strikes SpaceX deal for Starlink
The agreements come weeks after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Musk in Washington, where they discussed issues including space, mobility, technology and innovation. PHOTO: REUTERS
Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Jio Platforms said Wednesday it had signed a deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX to offer Starlink's satellite internet service to its customers.
The announcement comes a day after rival telco Bharti Airtel signed a similar pact and months after Musk and Ambani's companies clashed over how satellite spectrum should be awarded.
The potential launch of Starlink, which provides high-speed internet access to remote locations by low Earth orbit satellites, has seen fierce debate in India over issues ranging from predatory pricing to spectrum allocation.
But as the world's most populous country prepares for the launch of mass satellite broadband services, SpaceX and India's telecoms appear to have joined hands to help boost adoption.
The deal will see Jio offer "Starlink equipment in its retail outlets", a statement said, and also see the Indian firm help "support customer service installation and activation".