Elon Musk Accuses Indian Telecom Oligarchs of Blocking Starlink Launch
Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, has accused powerful telecom companies in India of blocking the launch of his satellite internet service, Starlink. He claims these 'oligarchs' are maintaining a monopolistic grip on consumers to protect their market dominance. Jio and Airtel together control over 80% of India's telecom and internet services. Musk stated that Starlink aims to provide affordable high-speed internet for those who cannot afford current prices, but progress has been slow despite memorandums of understanding signed with both companies last year. SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink business operations mentioned ongoing efforts in India at the Mobile Congress event. However, regulatory pushback over security concerns is also reportedly stalling approvals. Jio recently announced plans to launch its own low-orbit satellite communications and has partnered with global providers for a quick rollout.
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