Bharti Airtel will soon offer satellite broadband service in India. The telecom operator has announced a joint venture (JV) with Hughes Communications India Pvt Ltd, (HCIPL) to provide satellite connectivity based network services in the country.
Under the JV, the companies will offer a range of satellite and hybrid network solutions to business and government customers.
The agreement was first announced in May 2019. It has now received all statutory approvals, including those from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and Department of Telecom (Government of India) and the joint venture has been formed.
Operational as HCIPL, it is a majority-owned subsidiary of Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES). The entity combines the Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) businesses of both companies to offer flexible and scalable enterprise networking solutions using satellite connectivity for primary transport, backup, and hybrid implementation. HCIPL has a combined base of over 200,000 VSATs and is currently serving Airtel VSAT customers.
Claimed to be the largest satellite service operator in India, HCIPL provides broadband networking technologies, solutions, and services, including a full range of managed network services, for government offices and enterprises across segments like banking, aeronautical and maritime mobility, small to medium-sized businesses, education, and telecom backhaul, among others.
It is “well-positioned amid the changing regulatory environment to serve the emerging connectivity requirements of business and government customers with an enhanced product portfolio and operational efficiencies,” the company said in a press release statement.
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