Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Telkom Indonesia, Inmarsat, BSNL, satellite spectrum fee in India, among others.
Telkom Indonesia to Spin Off Fibre Connectivity Business in $2.16 Billion Deal
Telkom Indonesia announced plans to partially spin off its wholesale fibre connectivity business to its subsidiary, Telkom Infrastruktur Indonesia, in a deal valued at 35.787 trillion rupiah ($2.16 billion).
The transaction, categorized as a material and affiliated party deal under Indonesian regulations, is not expected to significantly impact the company’s overall financial condition.
Telkom Indonesia said the move aims to enhance business focus and optimize the utilization of its fibre optic network assets, aligning with its broader strategy to strengthen infrastructure efficiency and operational performance.
Satellite Phones Save Stranded Tamil Nadu Fishermen: Inmarsat and BSNL Restore Connectivity
Over 30 fishermen from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, stranded at sea due to rough weather, regained satellite phone connectivity through Inmarsat services. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) coordinated with Inmarsat, a British satellite communications company, to restore the services. The fishermen had been using Inmarsat satellite phones to communicate with the shore. When the service was disrupted, they were left without a way to contact authorities or family. Following the intervention of DoT and BSNL, Inmarsat temporarily resumed connectivity, allowing communication between stranded fishermen and ground personnel, Economic Times reports.
India Moves to Boost Satellite Internet with New Spectrum Fee
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in India proposed a 5 percent adjusted gross revenue (AGR) fee for satellite internet operators, up from the 4 percent suggested by TRAI. The change targets growing revenue from satellite services as they expand to retail consumers. The DoT rejected TRAI’s additional ₹500 per urban subscriber fee, citing implementation challenges. The revised proposal will return to TRAI for review before final Cabinet approval. Satellite operators such as Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper plan to provide internet services in areas without traditional connectivity. Reliance Jio has entered the non-terrestrial network segment, offering satellite-based services alongside mobile networks, Business Standard reports.
Shafana Fazal
