airJaldi

What airJaldi does

AirJaldi is the brand name used by Rural Broadband Pvt. Ltd., a Class A Internet Service Provider incorporated in India in 2009 with operational roots tracing to a 2005 community WiFi network established by hacktivists in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. The company designs, builds, and operates internet networks across nine Indian states — Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka — serving rural, mountainous, and tribal geographies where larger national ISPs have historically not deployed. AirJaldi extends connectivity from upstream fiber, microwave, and satellite sources to end customers using a combination of wireless (including TV White Space) and selective fiber, operating 40 networks covering 80,000 km² and reaching approximately 200,000 registered users and beneficiaries across an estimated 1,500 villages.

The company's core product is AirJaldi Broadband, with published home plans at 40/60/100 Mbps priced at ₹499/₹549/₹669 per month plus a ₹1,999 installation charge, bundled with 40+ OTT platforms. Supporting products and services include Enterprise Internet with dedicated account management, the JaldiFi public WiFi hotspot sub-brand (active in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh), an open-source AirJaldi Power TellTale network power-monitoring system, and Telemedicine/IoT solutions developed under the Microsoft Airband partnership. The business model blends subscription recurring revenue from home and enterprise connectivity, usage-based public WiFi, freemium/open-source monetization for Power TellTale, and grant-funded social-impact programs. Distribution is primarily via local field teams present on the ground across nine states, complemented by institutional partnerships with Microsoft Airband (Flagship partner since 2016; renewed via 'Contentful Connectivity' MoU in March 2023), Facebook's Express WiFi (2014–2019), Google (2010), Ford Foundation (2012), USAID (2021), L&T (2024), and the Maharashtra Government (2015 Harisal Digital Village).

Leadership is anchored by Founder/Director of Strategy and Operations Michael Ginguld, co-founders Alok Gupta and Manoj Arora, and Chairman Jim Forster. Under the March 2023 Microsoft MoU, AirJaldi has committed to scaling from 40 to 62 network locations across 12 states, adding 1,500 km of fiber, reaching 500,000 underserved beneficiaries, and training 15,000 community members on digital productivity and AI fluency modules over the three-year program period (2023–2026). Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company is privately held by founders with grant funding rather than institutional venture capital.

Name

airJaldi

Legal name

Rural Broadband Pvt. Ltd.

Website

https://airjaldi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

AirJaldi (Rural Broadband Pvt. Ltd.) is a Class A Indian ISP operating 40 wireless and fiber networks across nine rural states, serving 200,000 users with home broadband, enterprise internet, public WiFi (JaldiFi), telemedicine, and digital literacy programs under a Microsoft Airband partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Broadband Internet Services

NAICS

Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (517112), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711)

SIC

Radiotelephone Communications (4812)

akta.pro primary industry

Wireless ISPs (WISPs) & Fixed Wireless Access Providers (HDAIADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Carrier & Public Venue Wi‑Fi (Hotspot/Passpoint/NGH) (HDAFACAI)

Keywords

• Rural broadband services
• Internet service provider
• Wireless connectivity solutions
• Public WiFi hotspots
• Telemedicine connectivity

Headquarters

HQ city

Dharamsala

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Internet Subscription Services: AirJaldi provides multiple high-speed, high-data connectivity packages to home, enterprise, and institutional customers. Connectivity is delivered via both fiber and wireless links, with packages tailored for diverse needs including home broadband, enterprise internet, and institutional connections. Revenue is generated through recurring subscription payments at monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, and annual billing cycles.
2. Power Monitoring Solutions (Power TellTale): The AirJaldi Power TellTale open-source power monitoring system is offered as an open-source tool with freemium support options for adapting and deploying the system.
3. Public WiFi Hotspot Services (JaldiFi): AirJaldi operates public hotspot services under the brand JaldiFi in select rural areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Previously served over 300,000 users through Facebook Express WiFi partnership in hundreds of locations across northern and eastern India.
4. Customized Connectivity and Services: Customized connectivity solutions and services for various scales including colonies and multi-tenant dwellings with centralized connectivity packages at competitive rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AirJaldi (Rural Broadband Pvt. Ltd.) is a Class A Internet Service Provider in India that designs, builds, and operates broadband networks in rural and semi-urban areas using a mix of wireless and fiber technologies. The company delivers home broadband, enterprise internet, public WiFi hotspots, and related services such as telemedicine and digital literacy training across nine Indian states, with local field teams providing 24x7 customer support.

Product overview

AirJaldi is a Class A ISP (registered as Rural Broadband Pvt. Ltd. since 2009) offering a portfolio of internet connectivity products and related services for rural India. The core offering is AirJaldi Broadband, providing high-speed internet via fiber and wireless technologies with bundled OTT content for home and enterprise customers. Supporting products include JaldiFi public WiFi hotspots, the AirJaldi Network Academy for training, and IoT solutions for rural applications. AirJaldi also developed AirJaldi Power TellTale, an open-source power monitoring system for network infrastructure. The company operates across nine Indian states through various network projects including Microsoft Airband partnerships, public WiFi hotspots, and digital village initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JaldiFi: Public WiFi hotspot service brand operated by Rural Broadband Private Limited in rural areas
• Power TellTale

Products and services

• AirJaldi Home Broadband High-speed internet connectivity service for residential customers in rural and semi-urban India, delivered via fiber and wireless technologies. Provides multiple package tiers (40/60/100 Mbps) with bundled OTT content including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, SonyLIV, Disney+ Hotstar, and JioHotstar, available on monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, and annual billing cycles.
• Enterprise Internet Dedicated internet service packages for enterprises and institutions with ongoing personal support from enterprise account managers. Includes centralized connectivity solutions for colonies and multi-tenant dwellings at competitive rates, and customized enterprise packages tailored to business needs.
• JaldiFi Public WiFi AirJaldi's brand for public WiFi hotspot services operating in select rural areas in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, offering affordable internet access to underserved communities who lack personal broadband connections.
• AirJaldi Power TellTale An open-source power monitoring and alerting system for relays and other network components. Measures battery voltage and generates indicators and alerts based on change over time; consists of affordable power sensors, data uplink, cloud storage and analysis repository, and web and Android-based user interface.
• AirJaldi Telemedicine Service Telecommunication and Information Technology service that provides healthcare from geographically remote locations, enabling video consultations with specialists in urban hospitals. Supports rural health clinics and government hospitals in delivering remote medical services and patient monitoring.
• AirJaldi Network Academy Training Training programs and related activities on rural networking and connectivity. Includes courses for women's entrepreneurship and rural connectivity, combining face-to-face training, online sessions, and the Microsoft Community Training platform for digital skills development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000 registered users and beneficiaries served across nine states
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers28 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Udayan CareminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Starting in early 2025, AirJaldi partnered with Udayan Care, with support from Microsoft, to deliver basic digital literacy courses across India as part of the Contentful Connectivity program. The 'Window to the Internet' course covers web browsing, Android apps, online safety, and AI introduction. Nearly 4,500 women have participated in Sahebganj, Jharkhand, with over 6,500 total participants across hybrid offline and online programs.
• Larsen & Toubro (L&T) / L&T Public Charitable TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024In August 2024, AirJaldi in collaboration with L&T, Microsoft, and L&T Public Charitable Trust launched a project in Subir, Gujarat establishing a wireless network with upstream connectivity from a head-end 50 km away. The project connects 11 schools, a health clinic, a Common Service Centre, private businesses, and homes, with technical support and digital learning resources from AirJaldi, Microsoft, and MindSpark.
• Microsoft Airband InitiativeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016AirJaldi began partnering with the Microsoft Airband Initiative in 2016, receiving a grant to expand rural internet access in India. In 2018, a cooperation agreement was signed to expand AirJaldi's reach and scope. In March 2023, a three-year MoU titled 'Contentful Connectivity' was signed, targeting expansion to 62 networks across 12 states (including Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha), reaching 500,000 underserved beneficiaries. Cooperation includes IoT for rural areas, women's empowerment, economic development, and AI/digital skills training for 15,000 community members via Microsoft Community Training platform.
• Facebook Express WiFi (XWF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Between 2015 and 2019, AirJaldi was the first global partner of Facebook's Express WiFi initiative, jointly developing a technical and economic delivery model for public WiFi hotspots in rural areas. The partnership served over 300,000 users in hundreds of locations in northern and eastern India. AirJaldi continues to operate hotspot services under its own JaldiFi brand in select rural areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
• Maharashtra GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015MoU signed by Maharashtra Government with Microsoft Corporation and other partners in August 2015 led to the Harisal Digital Village project. AirJaldi served as the Internet Service Provider, implementing TV White Space and Telemedicine technologies. The project included telemedicine, eHealth Centre, digital signatures, smart ration cards, and agricultural mobile apps, transforming Harisal into India's first digitally smart village.
• ISIF AsiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirJaldi received support from ISIF Asia for the 'AirJaldi Power TellTale' project, an open-source power monitoring and alerting system for wireless internet relays, consisting of affordable power sensors, data uplink, cloud storage, and web/Android user interface.
• Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEF is a Delhi-based not-for-profit focused on sustainable ICT solutions for underserved regions. The 'Wireless for Communities' initiative set up broadband networks in rural Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Uttarakhand, and Meghalaya. AirJaldi and DEF both serve rural connectivity markets in India.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF): India-based NGO running the 'Wireless for Communities' initiative — partnering with AirJaldi on rural WiFi deployments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Uttarakhand, and Meghalaya. Operates in adjacent rural connectivity space, sometimes as collaborator rather than competitor.
• BharatNet: Government of India program to connect all 250,000+ gram panchayats with fiber broadband. Not a peer in the commercial sense, but a critical ecosystem dependency — AirJaldi's wireless last-mile networks often ride on BharatNet upstream fiber infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Mawingu Networks: Kenya-based rural wireless ISP providing affordable broadband to underserved communities using TV White Space and other wireless technologies. Highly comparable model — wireless last-mile connectivity for rural low-income customers in emerging markets — and similar grant-backed growth profile.
• ACT Fibernet: Major Indian fiber-to-the-home broadband ISP, primarily serving urban and Tier 1 markets. Operates a similar subscription-based high-speed broadband model, though with a more urban focus and less overlap in AirJaldi's mountainous niches.
• Tikona Infinet: Indian fixed-wireless broadband ISP focused on Tier 2/3 cities and rural/semi-urban areas. Closely comparable business model — wireless last-mile broadband for underserved Indian geographies — making it a direct competitor to AirJaldi's core offering.
• Netplus Broadband: Indian broadband ISP offering fiber and cable broadband across northern India including some Tier 2/3 markets. Comparable subscription-based broadband business model with overlapping geographic presence in parts of northern India where AirJaldi operates.
• Excitel Broadband: Indian broadband ISP offering affordable high-speed plans (similar ₹ price points) primarily in Tier 1/2 cities. Comparable subscription broadband model with bundled OTT content, though currently focused on more urban/semi-urban geographies than AirJaldi.

Broad incumbents

• BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited): Indian state-owned telecom operator with deep rural penetration mandated by government policy. Operates fixed broadband and mobile services in remote geographies, making it a direct but government-subsidized competitor in AirJaldi's target markets.
• Bharti Airtel: One of India's largest telecom operators with significant rural footprint and growing fixed-line broadband presence. As a broad incumbent, Airtel offers overlapping connectivity capability but does not specialize in AirJaldi's remote, mountainous last-mile niche.
• Reliance Jio: India's largest mobile network operator with aggressive rural expansion. While primarily a 4G/5G mobile operator rather than a fixed-wireless ISP, Jio's deep capital and government spectrum access put it on a collision course with AirJaldi's rural fixed-wireless markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AirJaldiRBB
• Facebookfacebook.com/AirJaldi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about airJaldi