Trai Plans To Limit Satellite Permits To Five Years, Defying Starlink

The telecom regulator plans to recommend that satellite broadband spectrum be allotted for around five years to assess initial market adoption, defying Elon Musk's Starlink, which is seeking a 20-year permit, said a senior government official.

- Reuters

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is currently working on key recommendations to the government, including a time frame and pricing of satellite spectrum, which will be administratively allotted.

Musk and Reliance Industries Ltd chairman Mukesh Ambani forged a partnership this week that will allow Starlink devices to be sold in Ambani's Reliance stores, giving it large distribution access. They were rivals earlier—Ambani's telco subsidiary had unsuccessfully lobbied New Delhi for months to auction spectrum, and not allot it administratively as Musk wanted.