TRAI gears up for spectrum allocation: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is expected to soon allocate spectrum for the launch of satellite internet services in India. As part of this process, TRAI provided inputs from stakeholders regarding pricing and allocation. Over the past two years, Elon Musk’s Starlink has led the charge in the Indian satellite internet market. However, local telecom giants like Jio and Airtel are now stepping up their efforts to join the race.

Starlink and Amazon face delays

Starlink and Amazon, another foreign competitor, have applied for licenses to operate satellite internet services in India. However, they appear to be falling behind schedule as they wait for the spectrum allocation process to be completed. It was further noted that Starlink applied for its license in October 2022, but is yet to meet the security compliance requirements set by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The DoT sent letters to both companies, reminding them of their obligations.

Jio and Airtel ready to launch

In contrast, Airtel’s partnership with Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio’s collaboration with SES have already received DoT approval to start their satellite services, pending spectrum allocation.

As these local companies prepare to launch, Musk’s Starlink and Amazon need to speed up their compliance processes to stay competitive.

The Future of Satellite Internet

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Airtel, has described satellite internet as a “silver bullet”, further highlighting its potential to connect remote areas of the country where traditional mobile networks do not reach.

Currently, around 2 billion people around the world do not have access to the internet, making satellite technology essential to bridging this gap.

Meeting connectivity challenges

In India, around 20 to 25 percent of regions face inadequate internet connectivity. Satellite Internet is seen as a vital solution to these challenges.

The government is also focusing on infrastructure development under the Gatishakti project, which includes plans to expand satellite internet services. Once operational, these services could extend connectivity to the 5% of Indians currently without internet access.

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