Bharti Airtel, one of India’s leading telecom operators, has expressed support for the administrative allocation of satellite spectrum in India, aligning with the stance of global players like Elon Musk’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper.
In a letter dated March 2024, Rahul Vatts, Airtel’s Chief Regulatory Officer, addressed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), voicing opposition to the auction of satellite spectrum, which is supported by Reliance Jio.
Airtel said the recently released Telecommunications Act, 2023 has rightly included SATCOM in its ambit while assigning spectrum for SATCOM on an administrative basis. “We continue to strongly support this approach,” Rahul Vatts said.
Airtel believes that SATCOM will act as a complementary service to terrestrial communication services in bridging digital inclusion gap and/or servicing the specific use cases of non-retail customers such as defense, cellular backhaul or in rural and remote areas.
Accordingly assignment of satellite spectrum on administrative basis can be done for such use cases. The only exception may be created for unhindered use by any government agency and for disaster management in any part of the country, Airtel said.
Airtel, the second largest telecom operator in India, has emphasized its long-standing support for satellite communication (satcom) services, particularly to reach remote and underserved areas in India. The company has partnered with Eutelsat OneWeb, which operates a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, to provide satcom services in India and Africa.
Airtel, through its joint venture with OneWeb, has already established ground stations in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, awaiting regulatory approval to begin commercial operations. Airtel founder and Chairman Sunil Mittal is also the co-chair of global satellite group Eutelsat.
Airtel argued that satellite operators intending to serve urban areas and retail customers should adhere to the country’s regulatory and licensing frameworks. This includes acquiring licenses, purchasing spectrum, and fulfilling obligations like security measures and paying taxes, thereby ensuring a level playing field within the telecom industry.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s Starlink advocates for the administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, citing global trends. On the other hand, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio has called for an auction to ensure fair competition in the sector, Reuters news report said.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
