Airtel and Jio have partnered with Starlink, a satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX which is owned by Elon Musk, to distribute its satellite internet services in India. These partnerships aim to leverage Starlink’s technology to enhance connectivity, particularly in rural and remote areas of India. Here in this article, we understand about its functionality and real-world applications, particularly in remote areas.
What is Starlink, the subsidiary of Elon Musk-owned aerospace company SpaceX
The concept of Starlink was first publicly announced by Musk in 2015, with the goal of providing high-speed, low-latency internet access worldwide. SpaceX began launching Starlink satellites in 2019, gradually building the constellation, which is nothing but a network of thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).
The LEO approach reduces latency compared to traditional geostationary satellites, essentially reducing the time taken by signals to travel to ground infrastructure.
What Starlink does and how it will helps India users
Starlink provides internet access by beaming signals from its constellation of satellites to user terminals – the consumer hardware such as an antenna or a router – on the ground. These terminals, resembling small dishes, connect to a Wi-Fi router, providing internet connectivity on-the-go.
When it comes to India, this tech mis likely to prove an important piece in bridging the digital divide. A significant portion of India’s population resides in rural areas with limited or no internet access. Starlink can enable access to online education, telemedicine and e-commerce. Moreover, this can empower rural communities and promote economic development.
Apart from this, Starlink can provide reliable internet access in mountainous regions, forests and other remote areas where laying fiber optic cables is challenging or impossible. This would benefit remote workers, researchers, and residents of isolated communities.
The third application of this technology is disaster relief. Starlink can provide critical communication infrastructure during emergencies, enabling disaster relief efforts and aiding affected populations. Starlink can also provide internet access to ships and aircraft operating in Indian waters and airspace for communication.
According to IT and Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Starlink will also play a major role in remote railway projects.
“Starlink, welcome to India! Will be useful for remote area railway projects,” he said in a post on X.
Musk’s Starlink has provided communication support in multiple scenarios, including during the war in Ukraine. In Ukraine, Starlink is being used in maintaining communication during the ongoing war, enabling government officials, military personnel, and civilians to stay connected.
Recently, Musk called Starlink “the backbone of the Ukrainian army.”