Airtel, Hughes to combine VSAT ops in India

Bharti Airtel and Hughes Communications India will be combining their VSAT operations creating a leader in satellite communication with 63.59% market share. As per the agreement, Hughes will have majority ownership in the combined entity while Airtel will also have a significant shareholding. As per data from Trai, at the end of December, Hughes Communications had 103,168 VSAT subscribers with 35.89% market share followed by Airtel with 79,604 subscribers and 27.70% share.

In terms of revenues from VSAT services, Bharti Airtel earned Rs 25.85 crore as adjusted gross revenue for October-December quarter whereas the same for Hughes Communications stood at Rs 31.52 crore. As per an official statement, the combined entity will benefit from enhanced scale, improved operational efficiencies and wider market reach. The combined entity will be well positioned to leverage the demand for secure connectivity in a rapidly growing digital economy.