Reliance Jio has unveiled its innovative JioSpaceFiber, India's first satellite-based gigabit broadband service, during the India Mobile Congress. This technology aims to extend high-speed internet access to previously underserved regions in India and employs technology akin to Elon Musk's Starlink. Jio, which already offers high-speed broadband to over 450 million customers through JioFiber and JioAirFiber, is introducing JioSpaceFiber to ensure that every Indian household, regardless of its location, can access digital services. This service will also facilitate the availability of Jio True5G in remote areas across the country.
Jio has partnered with SES to utilize advanced medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite technology. This technology empowers Jio to deliver gigabit broadband services from space. By leveraging SES's O3b and new O3b mPOWER satellites, Jio can provide reliable and affordable broadband connectivity throughout India.
To demonstrate its capabilities, JioSpaceFiber has already connected four remote locations in India: Gir Gujarat, Korba Chattisgarh, Nabrangpur Odisha, and ONGC-Jorhat Assam.
Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, emphasized that JioSpaceFiber will enable everyone to participate in the digital society by providing gigabit access to online government, education, health, and entertainment services.
John-Paul Hemingway, Chief Strategy Officer at SES, expressed enthusiasm for supporting the Indian government's Digital India initiative and the potential for digital transformation, even in rural areas of the country.
“Together with Jio, we are honoured to support the Government of India's Digital India initiative with a unique solution that aims at delivering multiple gigabits per second of throughput to any location in India,” said John-Paul Hemingway, Chief Strategy Officer at SES.
“Our first fiber-like services from space are already deployed today in parts of India, and we cannot wait to see how this will lead to digital transformation even in the most rural parts of the country,” he added.
