India’s satellite broadband market is the site for a major fight between two billionaires, Musk and Ambani.
Satellite spectrum for broadband will not be auctioned, and instead will occur administratively.
Satellite internet is necessary for rural areas where traditional internet connections using telephone lines or cable are cost prohibitive to set up.
Satellite internet subscribers in India will reach many millions after 2025. There are about six competitors for market share led by Mr Ambani’s Reliance Jio.
Mr Ambani’s Jio has partnered with SES Astra, a leading satellite operator.
The economics of their approach are different from Musk’s Starlink, which uses low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites positioned between 160 and 1,000 km from Earth’s surface. Instead, SES operates medium-Earth orbit (MEO) satellites at a much higher altitude, meaning that less satellites are required and making the system cheaper to operate but at a cost of a slower data rate.