Amazon confirms plans to offer 'affordable broadband' through satcom

An Amazon spokesperson said that Project Kuiper (Amazon's broadband-from-space venture) will bring fast internet services to underserved communities around the world

E-commerce giant Amazon stated on Tuesday that the firm is keen to collaborate with the government to bring "affordable broadband" across the country, according to a report by The Economic Times (ET).

An Amazon spokesperson told The Economic Times that Project Kuiper, Amazon's broadband-from-space venture, aims to provide fast internet services to underserved communities globally, including remote areas in India. This initiative is a long-term commitment for the company, and it is eager to work with the government and local partners to connect customers and communities nationwide.

The statement from Amazon comes a day after media reports revealed that the United States technology company has applied for permission from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), a nodal agency under the Department of Space, to offer wireless broadband-from-space services in India.

Amazon is also likely to apply to the Department of Telecommunications for a Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite Services (GMPCS) licence. The Jeff Bezos-led company would compete with rivals such as Bharti-backed OneWeb, Reliance Industries' Jio Satellite, and Elon Musk-owned Starlink in India's nascent market.

Jio Satellite and OneWeb have already secured the GMPCS licence, while Starlink's application is under review.

Official sources informed The Economic Times that an inter-ministerial meeting on Tuesday reviewed Starlink's responses to security-related queries. The Centre is expected to soon consider these responses and make a decision regarding the issuance of a GMPCS licence to the company.

Industry insiders suggest that the Jeff Bezos-owned firm could become a dominant player in the satellite communication (satcom) market, given its diverse range of service offerings that include Prime Video, cloud services, and e-commerce. An executive indicated that the company could provide a comprehensive suite of services without requiring external network support for broadband.

Last Friday, Amazon launched its first pair of prototype satellites for its planned Kuiper internet network from Florida, marking the testing phase of the company's inaugural technology in space.

Amazon aims to offer broadband speeds ranging from 100 megabits per second to 1 gigabit per second to its customers.