New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has opposed the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) proposal to continue charging Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) a concessional 1 per cent spectrum usage fee on adjusted gross revenue (AGR) for its satellite-based services.
The regulator has instead recommended a uniform spectrum charge of 4 per cent of AGR for all satellite communication service providers, regardless of ownership.
In its response to DoT, TRAI said extending preferential pricing to BSNL would be unfair and discriminatory, especially as India moves towards a competitive, multi-operator satellite communications market.
It rejected the argument that BSNL’s services deserve lower charges due to their “strategic” nature, noting that private operators also support critical connectivity.
TRAI acknowledged that its 2018 recommendation for a lower fee was made when BSNL was the only satellite service provider and such services were largely used for emergency or government purposes.
However, it said the scope of BSNL’s licence has since expanded to commercial uses such as Internet of Things connectivity, weakening the case for concessions.
The regulator also dismissed DoT’s proposal for differentiated charges for IoT services, stressing the need for a level playing field as firms like Starlink, OneWeb and Jio prepare to enter the Indian satcom market.
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