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At the India Mobile Congress 2023, Reliance Jio unveiled its satellite-based gigabit internet service called SpaceFiber in India which aims to provide internet services across the country as well as the remote locations which were lacking internet services previously.
So what is this service exactly and how is it a competition to Elon Musk? Let’s find out
What is it exactly?
Jio SpaceFiber is a satellite-based gigabit internet service that provides high-speed internet access.
In its initial rollout, it aims to connect India’s remotest locations which include Gir in Gujarat, Korba in Chhattisgarh, Nabarangpur in Odisha, and ONGC-Jorhat in Assam, with high-speed internet up to 1Gbps.
The future is now!
This satellite-based gigabit internet service uses medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites to provide high-speed internet to remote and underserved areas.
To connect to Jio SpaceFiber, users need to install a small antenna on their roof or terrace. The antenna communicates with the MEO satellites, which then relay the signal to Jio's ground stations. The ground stations then connect to the internet backbone, providing users with high-speed internet access.
A direct competition to Musk?
Jio SpaceFiber and Elon Musk's Starlink are both satellite-based broadband internet services that offer high-speed internet access to users in India. However, there are some key differences between the two services.
While Jio uses medium-earth orbit (MEO) satellites, Starlink uses low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites. LEO satellites are closer to the Earth than MEO satellites, which results in lower latency and faster speeds. However, LEO satellites also have a smaller coverage area than MEO satellites.
Availability & price
Jio SpaceFiber is currently available in select cities in India, while Starlink is still in beta testing and is not yet available to the general public.
In terms of pricing, Jio SpaceFiber is more affordable than Starlink with plans starting as low as ₹399/ month, while Starlink plans are currently priced at ₹5,399/month.
Bottomline
To summarise, Jio SpaceFiber is a more affordable and accessible option for users in India. However, Starlink offers faster speeds and lower latency.
Apart from providing high-speed internet and increasing the current connectivity, Jio SpaceFiber is also going to be affordable for the common man and thus be the preferred choice for businesses and individuals of the new economy of India.
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