Elon Musk's starlink is unlikely to disturb the Dio and Bharti Airtel broadband dominance in India - Report

While Jio and Bharti Airtel have signed Spacex agreements for distributing Starink’s broadband services in India, the main emphasis is on distribution, rather than direct competition.

Starlink satellite broadcast services, launched by Spacex, are unlikely to be a major threat to Telecommunications giants in India, Jio and Bharti Airtel, due to higher prices, slower data and speeds compared to existing options of fiber and wireless broadband, according to a recent JM.

Instead of competing directly, Starlink is expected to complete the telecommunications infrastructure in India, providing connectivity in rural and distant regions, where terrestrial networks are struggling to expand.

The price Starlink Vs. Jio and Bharti’s broad band plans

Globally, Starlink and other satellite internet services are charged between $ 10 and 500 per month, with unique hardware costs between $ 250 and $ 380.

In comparison, India telecommunications operators offer significantly cheaper broadband plans:

Input level plans start at only $ 5-7 per month
Premium fiber broadband plans offering speeds up to 1 GBP and streaming benefits, it costs around $ 47 per month
Jio and Bharti Airtel provide unlimited data, while Starlink plans come with data covers

Given the market sensitive market for India prices, Starlink’s higher costs and data limitations make it less attractive to urban users, strengthening its role as a rural connectivity solution, rather than a direct competitor to Jio Fiber, Bharti Airtel XStream Fiber or their new Airfiber services.

Potential collaboration instead of competition

While Jio and Bharti Airtel have signed Spacex agreements for distributing Starink’s broadband services in India, the main emphasis is on distribution, rather than direct competition. “Jio and Bharti will sell Starlink equipment through the retail points, Jio offering additional installation and activation assistance. These services will be extended to companies, schools and medical assistance centers,” the report shows.

In addition, there is a potential for future collaboration in the services of the satellite directly to the cells, similar to the Global Starlink partnerships with T-Mobile (USA), Rogers (Canada), Optus (Australia) and KDDI (Japan).

Why Direct Services to Starlink cells may not disrupt the wireless market in India

Despite the possibility of partnerships, industry experts believe that satellite experts directly at cells are unlikely to challenge 4G and 5G wireless networks due to:

Technical challenges – Maintaining a reliable satellite smartphone connection is difficult due to power and antenna limitations.
Spectru – Starlink addiction requires access to 4G/LTE spectrum, which means it will rely on Indian telecommunications suppliers.
Performance limitations – satellite internet is generally slower and less reliable than traditional fiber or wireless services.

Jio and Bharti already have their own satellite broadband projects

While the sale of Starlink equipment can generate additional revenues for Jio and Bharti Airtel, it is unlikely to significantly affect their general earnings.

Both telecommunications giants are already investing in their own satellite broadband projects:

Bharti Airtel was associated with Eutelsat Oneweb
Jio collaborated with Ses (Orbit Connect India)

These companies are also further in providing regulatory approvals for India satellite services, offering an advantage over Spacex, which still should not receive the official authorization to sell Starink services in the country.

Starlink force: Expanding connectivity to rural India

Despite the challenges, the massive Starlink satellite network, of over 6,400 low -soil orbit (Leo), offers a capacity advantage to improve internet access in difficult areas.

Instead of competing with Jio and Bharti Airtel, the best opportunity for Starlink is to serve rural and distant locations, where he cannot reach a wide fiber band.

However, Spacex is still waiting for the regulatory approval before they can trade Starink services in India. “As Starlink works through regulatory processes, its role in India’s digital infrastructure will probably remain complementary than disruptive,” the report concluded.