Vodafone Idea partners with AST SpaceMobile to roll-out satcom services in India

Time of India

8 hours ago

NEW DELHI:
Vodafone Idea
(Vi) has partnered with US-headquartered
AST SpaceMobile
to deliver
satellite connectivity
in India. This comes months after its rivals,
Reliance Jio
and
Bharti Airtel
, inked separate deals with billionaire Elon Musk-owned SpaceX to deliver Starlink satellite internet service in the country.
The partnership will combine Vi's pan-India mobile network with AST SpaceMobile's space-based cellular technology, which can beam signals directly to ordinary smartphones without requiring specialised software, hardware, or any updates, the companies said on Wednesday.
Aligned with Digital India's initiatives, AST SpaceMobile and Vi will collaborate on the SpaceMobile Satellite System. This space-based cellular broadband ecosystem will be designed to expand Vi's terrestrial connectivity, providing voice, video, data streaming, and internet access.
The partnership will encompass design, implementation, and launch of this system, wherein AST SpaceMobile will develop, manufacture, and manage the satellite constellation, and Vi will oversee terrestrial network integration, operating spectrum, and market access.
India currently has 1.1 billion mobile subscribers, using both 4G and fifth-generation (5G) networks. While there is widespread 4G and emerging 5G coverage, satellite communication (
satcom
) will complement terrestrial connectivity to further expand broadband cellular access in some challenging terrains where deployment of terrestrial mobile infrastructure might be difficult.
'Vi has always been committed to leveraging technology to connect every Indian and we see satellite communication as a complement to terrestrial connectivity. As satellite-based mobile access becomes a reality in India, we are looking forward to ushering in a new era of seamless and resilient connectivity,' said Avneesh Khosla, Chief Marketing Officer, Vi.
'India, with its vast and dynamic telecom market, is the ideal place to demonstrate how our space-based cellular broadband can seamlessly complement terrestrial networks,' said Chris Ivory, chief commercial officer, AST SpaceMobile.
'Together with Vodafone Idea, we are excited to unlock new possibilities for emergency response, disaster management, agriculture, remote learning, and countless other applications that will benefit from truly ubiquitous mobile broadband,' Ivory added.
Both companies will also collaborate and jointly develop commercial offerings for diverse sectors, including consumer, enterprise, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Jagbir Singh, chief technology officer (CTO), Vi, earlier told ET in an interview, 'We are in conversations with (satcom) partners and will share an update at an appropriate time.'
Singh had said that the telecom carrier does not see satellite communication as competition to terrestrial networks but rather a 'complement by reaching rural and disaster prone areas and expanding connectivity'.