The Government has decided to administratively allocate Satellite Communication (Satcom) spectrum. Earlier, Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani and Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal had asked the government to allocate spectrum through auction.
On this decision of the government, Starlink and SpaceX owner Elon Musk has promised to provide satellite broadband service in India. He gave this information in his X post. Earlier, Musk had objected to the advice of both the Indian businessmen.
Scindia said – Government will decide the cost of spectrum
Communication Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday that the allocation of spectrum for satellite services will be done administratively and not through auction and the cost for this will also be decided by the government.
Bharti Airtel backed Eutelsat OneWeb is also preparing to launch satcom services in India in the coming time.
Starlink can provide satellite broadband service anywhere in the world
Starlink operates a worldwide network of satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) and provides space-based broadband connectivity to many countries. The company has the capability to provide satellite broadband service directly to smartphones at any location around the world.
Starlink benefits from government's decision
Starlink will find it easier to get GMPCS (Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite Services) license from Indian authorities. With this license the company will be able to start its satellite broadband services in India.
GMPCS will be the third company to get the license
Starlink is a subsidiary of SpaceX. After getting the license, it will be able to provide satellite broadband, voice and messaging services to individuals and organizations in India. If approved, Starlink will be the third company to receive a GMPCS license.
Airtel and Jio have got this license
Earlier, Bharti Airtel backed company OneWeb and Reliance Jio have got license to provide satellite services. On the other hand, Jeff Bezos's company Amazon has also applied for a license from the Department of Telecommunications, but the government has not yet discussed it.
Approval from IN-SPACe is also required for services.
Satcom service providers also require approval from the autonomous space regulator Indian Space Regulator India (IN-SPACe). After this the companies will have to wait for the spectrum allocation from DoT.
The government is awaiting recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on how to allocate spectrum, or radio frequencies, for satellite services in the country. However, recommendations are unlikely to come until TRAI finds a new chairman.
How will the Internet reach you through satellites?
- Satellites make it possible to beam Internet coverage from any part of the Earth. The satellite network provides users with high-speed, low-latency Internet coverage. Latency means the time it takes to transmit data from one point to another.
- The Starlink kit consists of a Starlink dish, a Wi-Fi router, power supply cables, and a mounting tripod. For high-speed internet, the dish will have to be kept under the open sky. Starlink's app is available on iOS and Android, which takes care of setup and monitoring.
Graphics Source: VaskarAssets
