Bangalore Based Startup Develops Deep-tech For Low-cost Internet Services With Multi-Gbps Speed In Rural Areas

Astrome, a women-led startup, has developed an innovative wireless product that gives fibre-like bandwidth at fraction of cost of fibre to help telecom operators deliver reliable low-cost internet services to suburban and rural areas.

The wireless product called Giga Mesh could enable telecom operators to deploy quality, high-speed rural telecom infrastructure at five times lower cost. Rural customers and defence customers who have already signed up for pilots will soon witness the demonstration of this product by Astrome.

The deep tech startup incubated at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, and supported by Woman Startup Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India proved their millimeter-wave multi-beam technology in the lab in 2018, for which the company has been granted a patent in India and US, the Ministry of Science and Technology said in a statement.

Since then, the technology has been converted to a powerful and scalable product called Giga Mesh, which can solve much of the last mile connectivity needs. The product has been proven on the field and also integrated with partner products for its upcoming commercialization.

“Indian Institute of Science played a very critical role by helping us connect with investors, providing business mentorship, and giving us space to conduct our product field trials,” said Dr. Neha Satak, Co-founder & CEO at Astrome.

Astrome is currently conducting a field trial at Indian Institute of Science (university campus). In this field trial, the company has already achieved data streaming at multi-Gbps speeds across the campus.