Jio plans 1,600 satellites for Starlink-style internet: Report

We are drawing closer to the launch of satellite connectivity services—such as Elon Musk’s Starlink—in India. Reliance Jio has reportedly decided to position its planned 1,600 satellites in low Earth orbit at an altitude of 650 km, gearing up to compete with global satellite broadband players like Starlink (Elon Musk) and Amazon LEO.

According to a report by a famous publication, Reliance Jio is likely to opt for an altitude of 650 km in low Earth orbit, placing it above the Starlink network, which operates at 550 km. Amazon’s LEO network orbits Earth at an altitude of 630 km. Senior officials from IN-SPACe—the body coordinating the project with Reliance Jio—reportedly confirmed that Jio’s network will operate in a relatively less congested orbital band.

Globally, Starlink remains the dominant low Earth orbit constellation with over 10,000 satellites, while Amazon’s initial LEO design calls for more than 3,000 satellites. Jio’s constellation will be positioned well below the satellites of Eutelsat OneWeb—backed by Bharti Airtel—which operate at an altitude of approximately 1,200 km. A higher orbit allows satellites to cover larger areas with fewer spacecraft; Consequently, OneWeb’s approximately 650 satellites could offer coverage comparable to that of the 1,600 satellites planned by Jio. However, signals originating from a lower orbit take less time to reach Earth.

This report comes just days after the Digital Communications Commission (DCC) approved the TRAI’s recommendations for satellite communication services. Services such as Starlink and Jio Satellite Communication are expected to begin operations in India once they secure cabinet approval and the necessary security clearances. Reliance Jio is planning a test flight for next year.

The project has received technical approval, although the final plan for the constellation is still pending. According to other famous publication report, Jio aims to conduct a test flight around 2027, initially launching a few satellites to verify hardware, software, and other technologies prior to the mass deployment scheduled for early 2028.

Jio is expected to focus on India during the initial phase, prioritizing the provision of high-speed broadband to underserved regions using High-Throughput Satellites (HTS). The company has previously proposed offering fixed satellite services—such as broadband and mobile network backhaul—as well as mobile satellite services (including direct-to-device connectivity), and plans to set up between 20 and 22 ground stations.

Jio has also filed an application with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for orbital assignments, including technical details of the constellation in the submission. Reportedly, the company plans to launch services in India around 2028, deploy between 400 and 500 satellites by 2030, and complete the full constellation by 2035. A minimum of 90 to 100 coverage satellites are expected to be launched within two or three quarters following the test launch. Each Jio satellite is expected to provide a transmission capacity of between 100 and 150 Gbps. Once deployment is complete, there are projected to be 30 to 32 satellites in orbit over India, offering a capacity of 4 to 4.8 Tbps (or around 5 Tbps) for the country. These figures exceed the capacities proposed for other constellations planned for India; for instance, Starlink is authorised for 600 Gbps, and Amazon Leo has requested capacity for 3 Tbps over Indian territory.

According to earlier reports, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is expected to soon present the satellite communications proposal to the government cabinet. The approved framework reportedly includes a 5% spectrum usage charge based on adjusted gross revenue for satellite services, with a lower effective rate of 4% for operators providing services in designated rural and remote areas.

Elon Musk has spoken on multiple occasions about Starlink's arrival in India. He recently wrote on X: "Starlink would help India's underserved sectors, especially in rural areas."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kahekashan

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Kahekashan is a passionate technophile with a keen eye for cutting-edge gadgets, emerging technologies, and everything in the digital realm. Raised in a Defence family with strong values and a background in literature, she has consistently pursued excellence in every endeavour. Her last full-time assignment involved content writing with the Indian School of Business.

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