India's satellite broadband industry is poised for significant advancement as Elon Musk’s Starlink approaches regulatory clearance to begin commercial operations. As per officials, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) will evaluate Starlink’s application, signifying an important step for the company's access to the Indian market.
The approval process includes acquiring an operator's license from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and gaining spectrum rights. Individuals knowledgeable about the topic suggest that although Starlink has consented to the majority of essential terms for the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license, some stipulations are still being negotiated.
One of the key agreements Starlink has made includes compliance with geolocation regulations. “Starlink has also agreed to set up its network access control and monitoring centre in India and it also won’t be routing data through gateways in countries sharing land borders (with India),” an official stated. However, the company has yet to commit to setting up monitoring zones near India’s international borders, a requirement that is under government review.
In parallel, Starlink and Amazon Kuiper are advocating for administrative spectrum allocation without auctions, clashing with domestic telecom giants like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, who seek a bidding process. The Indian government has indicated that spectrum allocation will be done administratively for a charge.
With India’s space economy projected to reach $44 billion by 2033, Starlink’s entry could significantly enhance satellite broadband accessibility in rural and underserved regions.
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