India to ask SpaceX to apply for permit to offer satellite internet service SpaceX, which will compete in the global satcom space with Jeff Bezos-led Amazon’s Project Kuiper and Bharti-backed OneWeb, has started accepting pre-orders for beta version of its Starlink satellite internet service in India for a fully refundable deposit of $99 (above Rs 7,000). It has yet to disclose India plans though.“…talks with the DoS and Department of Telecommunications ( DoT ) will happen on the necessary regulatory approvals to bring Amazon’s high-speed broadband services to India via its Project Kuiper satellite constellation as part of the global launch,” one person said.A spokesperson for Amazon declined to comment. Industry executives said India is a critical emerging satellite internet market that Amazon cannot ignore since at stake is a $500 million near-term revenue opportunity from servicing millions of Indians in rural and remote areas through satellite-based, fast internet services.Nearly 75% of the rural population does not have access to broadband since many locations are without cellular or fibre connectivity. They can be the backbone for networks of IoT devices, to remotely monitor smart grids as in transmission towers, railway safety systems and even deliver emergency alerts in case of floods, landslides or tsunamis. Satellite systems are also ideal for smart agriculture use cases - from tracking soil conditions for critical inputs such as water, fertilisers and pesticides to harvest-related predictions.

Source: Economic Times June 01, 2021 02:51 UTC