Astrome deploys E-band radio for internet connectivity in rural Karnataka

Bangalore based deep-tech startup Astrome on Monday said it had deployed the first indigenously developed E-band radio to provide affordable internet connectivity in rural parts of Karnataka.

The GigaMesh, which uses millimetre wave radio frequencies, was deployed from Sompura gram panchayat to Nidavanda village in rural Bangalore district to facilitate 4G and 5G connectivity, Astrome Technologies founder and CEO Neha Satak said.

GigaMesh is an E-band radio, with Multiple-Point-to-Point (Multi-P2P) communication, making it the most effective way to distribute fiber capacity, wirelessly, he said.

Through this, we have managed to bring high speed connectivity to Nidavanda village and are looking forward to more such successful deployments in the future, the Astrome CEO said.

In terms of applicability, a single GigaMesh at a Gram Panchayat in Rural India, can connect to multiple surrounding villages, thus providing a significant cost advantage, a company statement said.

BharatNet fiber was connected to GigaMesh at the Gram Panchayat and wirelessly transmitted to another GigaMesh device which was placed at a government school at Nidavanda, it said.

The internet provided at the school was effectively utilized to provide online educational sessions to the students from the teachers of a Bangalore based NGO, E-Vidyaloka, the statement said.

Astrome was awarded a contract to facilitate broadband, 4G and 5G internet connectivity in rural areas through BharatNet fiber.

The project was awarded by Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).