The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is unlikely to grant provisional or interim spectrum to companies like Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio for the commercial rollout of satellite internet services in India, according to informed sources. The government intends to wait for the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) before making any decisions on administratively allocating spectrum to satellite firms.
An official stated that the DoT has referred the matter to TRAI to define the terms, conditions, and pricing for satellite spectrum. “We are following the complete process and are not considering any interim arrangement at this time,” the official added.
This decision is significant as companies, particularly Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb, have been urging the government to temporarily allocate spectrum while TRAI completes its consultation process. Such an interim arrangement would allow companies to begin services and start generating revenue in the Indian market. However, TRAI has yet to release a consultation paper on the subject. TRAI Chairman Anil Lahoti indicated in August that the paper might be issued within a month.
Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio are currently leading the race for satellite communication services in India and have received the necessary clearances from authorities. Meanwhile, the government is also reviewing applications from Elon Musk’s Starlink and Amazon’s Kuiper. Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal recently called on the government to expedite the process, particularly for government agencies operating in remote areas.
“The terminals are in India, but we can’t go commercial until we have the necessary approvals,” Mittal said during a media interaction. He added that Bharti has offered to comply with any interim permissions granted by the DoT until final decisions are made. “We are fully ready. It’s just a wait from the DoT now,” he noted.
The Telecom Act has paved the way for allocating spectrum for satellite communication services through administrative means, but the allocation can only happen after TRAI’s recommendations. These rules will outline the usage norms for satellite services in India.
In addition, satellite firms have proposed that the government allow them to serve other nations through their Indian operations, a request they want included in the new authorization regime for the telecommunications sector. Once approved, this would also require an amendment to the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license, which is necessary to provide satellite internet services in India.
Unlike telecom services, which primarily focus on voice and data communication, satellite services are geared towards providing broadband internet, especially in remote and hard-to-reach areas where conventional telecom infrastructure is insufficient.
