Jio Will Be Providing Most awaited New Satellite-Based Broad Brand Connection 2022

Jio Will Be Providing Satellite-Based Broad Brand Connection

On Monday, Jio Platforms Ltd., (JPL) a digital service provider, and SES, a provider of satellite-based content connectivity solutions, announced that they are forming a venture – Jio Space Technology Ltd. – to deliver next-generation scalable and affordable broadband services in India based on satellite technology. A joint venture between JPL and SES will be a joint venture with JPL owning 51% and SES owning 49% of the venture.  

In a joint statement, India and its neighbours said the joint venture would utilize multi-orbit space networks consisting of geostationary satellites (GEOs) and medium earth orbit satellites (MEOs), which could provide multi-gigabit connectivity and capacity to enterprises, mobile backhaul and retail customers across India and the neighbouring regions.

In India, it will be SES’s vehicle for distributing satellite data and connectivity services, except for certain international aeronautical and maritime customers who may receive SES’s services. This deployment will allow Jio to leverage Jio’s premium position and sales reach in India to unlock this market opportunity, which will provide the capacity of up to 100 Gbps from SES.

Developing a gateway infrastructure

 Moreover, as part of the joint venture’s investment plan, the joint venture will develop extensive gateway infrastructure in India so that it can provide services within India. With a $100 million contract value, Jio, as an anchor customer of the joint venture, has signed a multi-year capacity purchase agreement that is linked to certain milestones along with gateways and equipment purchases.

As part of the joint venture, SES will use SES-12, a high-throughput GEO satellite serving India, and O3b mPOWER, an upcoming MEO constellation, to extend and complement Jio’s terrestrial network and make digital services and applications more available to consumers, according to the statement. Joint venture partners will enjoy the benefits of managed services and gateway infrastructure operations from Jio.

 The OVID-19 has shown that broadband access is essential for participation in the new digital economy. A joint venture will facilitate the connectivity of unconnected parts of India and the region to a full range of digital services, including access to remote health care, government services, and distance learning opportunities,” the entities said. As Akash Ambani, Jio’s Director, states, “We are already expanding fibre-based connectivity and fibre-to-the-home services as well as investing in 5G. However, our new joint venture with SES will help to accelerate the growth of multigigabit broadband.

As a result of the additional coverage and capacity offered by satellite communication services, Jio will be able to connect the most remote towns and villages, enterprises, government establishments, and consumers to the new India Digital.” Steve Collar, CEO of SES, said, “This joint venture with JPL is a great example of how SES can complement even the most extensive terrestrial networks to deliver high-quality connectivity, and positively impact millions of lives.”

As part of the JV for satellite-based broadband services, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) announced on Monday that Jio Platforms Ltd (JPL) and SES, a global provider of satellite-based content and connectivity solutions, have formed a joint venture. Jio Platforms will own 51% and SES will own 49% of Jio Space Technology Limited, a joint venture company.

 “The joint venture will deploy multi-orbit space networks, which are a combination of geostationary (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite constellations that can deliver multi-gigabit links and capacity to enterprise, mobile backhaul and retail customers across India and neighbouring regions,” RIL said in an exchange filing today.

This joint venture will be the vehicle to provide SES’s satellite data and connectivity services in India, except for the customers SES currently serves in the international aviation and maritime industries. 

 In addition, the Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate will have access to 100 Gbps of capacity from SES and will unlock the market opportunity by leveraging Jio’s position as the market leader and sales reach in India. 

In the context of the joint venture’s investment plan, extensive gateway infrastructure in India will be developed for the provision of services within India. Jio, as an anchor customer of the joint venture, has entered into a multi-year capacity purchase agreement, which is based on certain milestones and includes gateway and equipment purchases valued at approximately $100 million,” the statement said.

As part of the joint venture, Jio will leverage SES-12, SES’s high-throughput GEO satellite serving India, and SES’s next-generation MEO constellation, O3b mPOWER, SES’s next-generation MEO constellation, to extend and complement Jio’s terrestrial network, increasing the access to digital services and applications. A joint venture that has been formed with Jio will be able to access managed services and gateway infrastructure operation services, the company said.

Earlier this year, Airtel, Jio’s rival, announced a joint venture agreement with Hughes Communications for providing satellite broadband services in India. These services would offer flexible and scalable enterprise networking solutions using satellite connectivity for primary transport, backup, and hybrid use.

Jio announced Monday it will launch satellite-based broadband services in India through a partnership with SES, a Luxembourg-based telecommunications company. Through a joint venture called Jio Space Technology Limited, Jio will pioneer the development of broadband services through the utilization of geostationary (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite constellations. Broadband service from Jio is capable of delivering multi-gigabit connections and high-speed data to enterprises, mobile backhaul providers, and retail customers with a maximum speed of 100Gbps.

While Jio has not yet chosen a name for its new satellite broadband service, it poses a threat to Elon Musk’s Starlink service, which is uncertain whether it will be able to reach the homes of Indian internet users. Musk started taking pre-orders for Starlink last year, but the Indian government then intervened regarding the licensing of the company’s internet services, which led to the company’s delay in launching its service. Following the government’s rejection, Starlink had to refund the pre-order money to interested users, who were just as disappointed by the decision.

Although Starlink has not yet launched in India, its announcement gave India’s internet service providers the necessary impetus to race for the top position in the satellite-based broadband technology space. Before the announcement, Airtel announced that it was forming a joint venture with Hughes Communications India to provide satellite-based internet services in India. The recent entry by Jio demonstrates how much money this space is worth.

A recent announcement by Jio has revealed that it owns 51 per cent of the joint venture, while SES owns 49 per cent. A major part of [the] investment plan will involve establishing extensive gateway infrastructure in India to enable services both within and outside the country, according to Reliance Jio. Jio, an anchor customer of the joint venture, has entered into a multi-year capacity purchase agreement based on certain milestones, along with gateways and equipment purchases valued at approximately US $100 million.

As part of the joint venture, Jio Space Technology, they plan to rely on both SES-12, SES’s high-throughput GEO satellite that serves India, and O3b mPOWER, SES’s MEO satellite constellation, to expand Jio’s terrestrial network, increasing “access to digital services and applications.” However, while the new venture will focus on satellite-based internet, Jio will still work towards its fibre-based connectivity and FTTH business and expand it. The Director of Jio Akash Ambani also mentioned that the company will continue to invest in 5G development.

edited and proofread by nikita sharma