Satellite internet may debut by June

Indian skies may open up to satellite internet as early as June, with the telecom regulator preparing the ground for the service that promises to reach distant corners and the open seas.

- Shouvik Das

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is giving finishing touches to a set of recommendations on the pricing and use of satellite communications that has been in the making for nearly two years now, three people aware of the development said.

Once a framework is introduced and spectrum allocated, it will set the stage for the debut of satellite internet services by Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio Infocomm, Sunil Bharti Mittal's Bharti Airtel and Elon Musk's Starlink.

"The recommendations are very close to being finalized, and the final methodology is mostly here," one of the three people cited above said on the condition of anonymity, adding that the regulator is taking its time because the recommendations will include details on the revenue-sharing model of satcom services, how spectrum will be allocated and priced, and other necessary regulations.

"Once the pricing and operations framework is out, Trai wants to quickly pass it through the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and have it approved without much conflict," the official cited above said.

The second official said that Trai may submit its recommendations in March itself and, after a brief consultation period, they are set to be adopted without much change by the Digital Communications Commission.