New Delhi: Satellite communication services will be launched in India after companies operating in the segment meet security requirements mandated by national agencies, said Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Firms such as Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications Services will be allowed to begin operations once these conditions are fulfilled and spectrum pricing is finalised.
According to reports, Scindia said the government is close to allocating spectrum for satcom services, with the Department of Telecommunications and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India working to resolve outstanding issues on pricing.
He further said that licence holders must ensure compliance with the security norms, including safeguards related to international gateways and data localisation.
Provisional spectrum has already been provided to companies to help them demonstrate compliance capabilities.
Differences remain between the DoT and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) over spectrum charges. Recently, TRAI did not accept several DoT recommendations, including a higher annual spectrum usage fee and per-connection charges in urban areas.
The matter is expected to be taken up by the Digital Communication Commission, which may decide the next course of action, including seeking Cabinet approval on the final framework.
