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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Musk's Starlink gets licence to offer satellite internet services in India
The government has granted a licence to Elon Musk 's Starlink to operate satellite internet services in India, more than two years after the US-based company applied for it, officials in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said. Starlink now officially joins Airtel-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications Ltd in India's satellite communications (satcom) race. The company can begin marketing its services and open customer registrations in India, they added. The Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence, required to offer satellite-based broadband services in India, was granted to Starlink exactly a month after it received a Letter of Intent (LoI) from the DoT on 7 May, officials said. The company can now apply for trial spectrum to test its technology and is expected to receive allocation within 15–20 days of submitting its application. It was not immediately clear whether Starlink had also received the final clearance from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe). Amazon's Project Kuiper remains the last major satcom contender yet to secure a greenlight from the Indian authorities. Starlink currently provides satellite internet services in over 125 countries through a constellation of more than 7,600 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites operated by SpaceX, the aerospace and satcom company founded by Musk. In April, Starlink received provisional registration from Pakistan's space regulator, with Islamabad expressing hope that full clearance would be granted by end-2025. In May, Bangladeshi telecom authorities issued the necessary licences to the company, following Bhutan's lead—it became the first country in the subcontinent to get Starlink connectivity in February. In April, telecom majors Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio announced separate agreements with Starlink to distribute its equipment and services to their respective customer bases in India. Currently the world's largest space-based communications network, Starlink has increasingly focused on providing services in developing and low-income countries. Earlier this week, it launched operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Surge in action Starlink's application for a GMPCS licence had been under review since November 2022. It was delayed due to the company's failure to comply with mandatory ownership disclosure norms regulated by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The company had also clashed with Indian authorities over requirements that satcom licensees provide call data records to security agencies upon request and suspend services during national emergencies if directed by the government. Last month, the DoT introduced a more stringent regulatory regime for satcom services in India, leading many industry analysts to write off Starlink's chances of gaining clearance in the near term. The new security rules mandate separate clearances for each satellite gateway in India, localisation of all lawful interception capabilities, and special protocols to allow targeted services during periods of conflict. However, in a surprise development, Starlink was granted the LoI just two days after the directive was issued, having committed to comply with all regulatory conditions. Two days later, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) released its long-awaited recommendations on pricing and allocation guidelines for satellite spectrum. These recommendations have drawn criticism from telecom operators, who said the proposal to charge satellite spectrum at 4 per cent of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) is 'unjustifiably low' and 'based on incorrect assumptions'. Operators argue that Trai's stance undermines competition and risks distorting the level playing field by favouring satellite firms while threatening the viability of traditional terrestrial services.
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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Starlink gets govt licence, to join Jio & OneWeb in India's satcom race
In a major boost to Elon Musk's Starlink, India's telecom ministry has granted the company a key licence to offer satellite communication services, Reuters reported citing sources on Friday. The go-ahead is expected to make Starlink a major player in India's telecom industry providing satellite communication services. Before this, only Airtel-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications held similar licences. The announcement comes a day after Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed Starlink's entry as India's third licensed satellite internet provider, alongside Jio and OneWeb. 'And after this, the government will provide the spectrum. Subsequently, satellite telecom services will be fully operational in the country at a rapid pace. I am sure the customer base in India will grow substantially,' Scindia said, adding, 'Starlink's satellite connectivity is like a new flower in the telecom bouquet." Background Starlink had been awaiting regulatory clearance to begin commercial operations in India since 2022, but its application was repeatedly delayed. Amazon's Project Kuiper is still in the queue for a similar licence. A significant point of contention, earlier this year, was the debate over how satellite spectrum should be allocated. Starlink argued that satellite spectrum should be administratively assigned rather than auctioned. The Indian government ultimately supported this position, paving the way for Starlink's approval. However, this decision sparked opposition from traditional telecom operators. A group representing Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel—India's largest telecom players—raised concerns that assigning spectrum at low prices could disadvantage terrestrial service providers. In a letter dated 29 May to the telecom ministry, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) criticised the regulator's proposal that satellite companies pay only 4 per cent of their annual revenues as licence fees. The association argued that terrestrial operators face significantly higher upfront auction costs, resulting in spectrum-related payments approximately 21 per cent greater than those required from satellite providers. Meanwhile, in March 2025, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel also signed agreements with SpaceX to distribute Starlink's satellite internet services in India.
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Business Standard
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
India will see fastest satcom rollout, says Jyotiraditya Scindia
India will see the fastest global rollout so far for satellite communication, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday. This would expand the satcom market in India to $20 billion by 2028, ten times larger than the current $2.3 billion, he said. Addressing a seminar at the headquarters of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Scindia said satellite telecom technology is complementary to the existing bouquet of services. The minister's comments came on a day when Elon Musk's Starlink announced the launch of telecom services in neighbouring Bangladesh. While the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has cleared Starlink's application for satellite communication services in India, the company still needs to secure IN-SPACe clearance in record time if it wants to roll out signals alongside others, industry insiders say. Its competitor Airtel-backed Eutelsat OneWeb received a GMPCS licence effective from August 2021, while Jio Satellite Communication Ltd has held it since March 2022. The minister said the DoT is studying the recommendations made on the allocation of space spectrum, which were released earlier this month. These mandate that operators pay 4 per cent of their annual Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) as spectrum usage charges (SUC) to offer services in India. The spectrum is to be assigned for five years, extendable by an additional two years. These and other key recommendations are expected to be presented to the Cabinet for approval soon, TRAI officials have said. A KPMG report has pointed out that India ranks fourth globally in terms of investments in the sector. Nearly $2 billion was invested in 110 firms locally, it said last year. Instead, Scindia asked telecom operators to focus on quality of service (QoS). 'It's important to make sure we have the largest or second-largest market in the world, but it also must be defined on the parameter of highest QoS. It is my sincere hope that all our telco providers will move up the value chain of QoS, not up to international benchmarks but beyond that,' he said. The 5G rollout in India has been the fastest in the world, covering 99 per cent of districts and 82 per cent of the population in 22 months, Scindia stressed. Arguing that the DoT has focused on performance, transparency and accountability, the minister said the Sanchar Sathi mobile app has resulted in 3.4 crore fake mobile connections being disconnected, and 30 lakh phones being blocked in the last 11 months. Meanwhile, it has ensured that 17 lakh stolen phones have been recovered, a 97 per cent reduction in international spoofed calls has been achieved, and an AI-enabled telecom monitoring system has given confidence to users.
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Business Standard
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Confident satcom rollout will be fastest in India: Telecom Minister
India will see the fastest global rollout so far for satellite communication, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday. This would expand the satcom market in India to $20 billion by 2028, ten times larger than the current $2.3 billion, he said. Addressing a seminar at the headquarters of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Scindia said satellite telecom technology is complementary to the existing bouquet of services. The minister's comments came on a day when Elon Musk's Starlink announced the launch of telecom services in neighbouring Bangladesh. While the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has cleared Starlink's application for satellite communication services in India, the company still needs to secure IN-SPACe clearance in record time if it wants to roll out signals alongside others, industry insiders say. Its competitor Airtel-backed Eutelsat OneWeb received a GMPCS licence effective from August 2021, while Jio Satellite Communication Ltd has held it since March 2022. The minister said the DoT is studying the recommendations made on the allocation of space spectrum, which were released earlier this month. These mandate that operators pay 4 per cent of their annual Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) as spectrum usage charges (SUC) to offer services in India. The spectrum is to be assigned for five years, extendable by an additional two years. These and other key recommendations are expected to be presented to the Cabinet for approval soon, TRAI officials have said. A KPMG report has pointed out that India ranks fourth globally in terms of investments in the sector. Nearly $2 billion was invested in 110 firms locally, it said last year. Instead, Scindia asked telecom operators to focus on quality of service (QoS). 'It's important to make sure we have the largest or second-largest market in the world, but it also must be defined on the parameter of highest QoS. It is my sincere hope that all our telco providers will move up the value chain of QoS, not up to international benchmarks but beyond that,' he said. The 5G rollout in India has been the fastest in the world, covering 99 per cent of districts and 82 per cent of the population in 22 months, Scindia stressed. Arguing that the DoT has focused on performance, transparency and accountability, the minister said the Sanchar Sathi mobile app has resulted in 3.4 crore fake mobile connections being disconnected, and 30 lakh phones being blocked in the last 11 months. Meanwhile, it has ensured that 17 lakh stolen phones have been recovered, a 97 per cent reduction in international spoofed calls has been achieved, and an AI-enabled telecom monitoring system has given confidence to users.
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Business Standard
09-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Trai proposes 4% AGR charge, 5-year term for satellite spectrum use
Satellite spectrum in India should be charged at 4 percent of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) for both non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) and Geostationary satellite orbit (GSO) based fixed-satellite service (FSS) and mobile satellite service (MSS), the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has recommended. It has also recommended spectrum should be assigned for 5 years. Trai's recommendations clear yet another hurdle for satcom services in India. Airtel-backed Eutelsat Oneweb and Jio Satellite Communication have already gotten the global mobile personal communication by satellite (GMPCS) services license needed to provide satcom services in India, while Elon Musk-led Starlink is set to soon get the license. NGSO refers to those satellites which occupy either a low-earth orbit (LEO) or medium-earth orbit. (MEO). Unlike geostationary GSO satellites, LEO and MEO satellites do not occupy a stationary position but move in relation to the Earth. The pricing model approved by the telecom regulator however states there should be a minimum annual spectrum charge of Rs. 3,500 per MHz for both and GSO and NGSO-based service. For the latter, an additional Rs. 500 per subscriber will be charged annually in urban areas, while rural subscribers would be exempted. AGR is used to calculate the revenue that telecom companies must share with the government in the form of spectrum usage charges and license fees. AGR based spectrum charging is the existing practice for commercial VSAT service providers and BSNL, Trai officials said. Spectrum charges should be levied as a percentage of AGR for simplification and as part of ease of doing business, the recommendations said. "Overall spectrum charges do not need to be any higher than the administrative costs required to cover the allocation of spectrum. It will also facilitate investment and innovation," Trai has said in its recommendations. Time and space Arguing that satcom is currently in a nascent stage, and their 'business potential would emerge after some years of operations, and the useful life of LEO satellites is just half a decade, Trai said it has recommended the government assign spectrum for 5 years. With foreign players like Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper trying to enter India, terrestrial operators Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel had for the last one year repeatedly stressed the need to ensure level playing field between historical operators and newcomers. But the telecom operator has conclusively found MSS would only complement terrestrial service and 'there is no substantive case of level playing field between them', Trai Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti stressed on Friday. Under MSS provides satcom signals for mobile and remote users, while FSS allows earth stations at fixed locations transmit and receive signals using one or more satellites. MSS is used mainly for strategic use such as national security and government operations during natural disasters, in flight and maritime connectivity and distress communication. As a result, such systems have little traffic carrying capacity, and are not comparable to terrestrial mobile networks, Trai said. The Centre has also chosen higher frequency bands such as C, Ku, Ka, and Q/V bands to be assigned on a shared basis for satcom services, with a condition that each authorised entity, coordinate among themselves in good faith.
