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India's Vodafone Idea explores partnership with Musk's Starlink
Last week, Musk's SpaceX signed deals with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to bring Starlink's internet services to India.
FILE PHOTO: A man walks across the LED display board showing the logo of Vodafone-Idea at the ongoing India Mobile Congress 2022, at Pragati Maidan, in New Delhi, India, October 3, 2022. / REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis
Vodafone Idea is in exploratory talks with various satellite communication providers, including Starlink, the company said on March 19, a week after the Indian telecom firm's rivals signed deals with Elon Musk's company.
The mobile operator made the disclosure after Indian stock exchanges sought a clarification on its stock move and a report by local financial news website Moneycontrol earlier in the day.
Also Read: Musk's Starlink, India's Airtel tie up to challenge Ambani in broadband race
Shares of Vodafone Idea rose nearly 5 percent on March 19.
"Our strategy is to provide services -- whether fixed or mobile -- in uncovered areas, where satellite makes perfect sense," Vodafone Idea Chief Technology Officer Jagbir Singh told Moneycontrol, as per the report.
"The other (strategy) is to provide fixed wireless broadband in rural areas and smaller towns, where it is expensive to roll out such services."
Last week, Musk's SpaceX signed deals with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to bring Starlink's internet services to India.
As part of the deals, the Indian operators will stock Starlink's equipment in their retail stores, giving the US-based satellite communication firm a direct distribution point in thousands of such outlets across the country.
The deals will be conditional on Starlink obtaining government approval to begin operations in the country.
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