Starlink's Entry into India
Elon Musk-promoted Starlink, a major space-based communication company, has received a license to operate in India after a two-year application process.
Market Impact and Competition
- Starlink, now licensed, is set to join the competitive satellite broadband space in India, alongside Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications Ltd.
- Airtel and Jio, while partnering with SpaceX for equipment distribution, disagree with Starlink's spectrum allocation methods.
Spectrum Allocation Controversy
- Telecom companies opposed Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai) recommendation for spectrum allocation to satellite broadband firms at 4% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR).
- The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Trai rejected claims of unfair practice by existing telecom companies.
Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) License
- Starlink's GMPCS license was issued one month after a letter of intent. It allows the application for trial spectrum to test technology.
- A response from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) regarding final approval is pending.
International Expansion
- Operating in over 125 countries with more than 7,600 low earth orbit satellites, Starlink continues its expansion into developing countries.
- Recent developments include operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and provisional registration in Pakistan.
Regulatory Challenges
- Starlink's application faced delays due to ownership disclosure norms and security requirements.
- Compliance with a new security directive enabled Starlink to secure permissions, despite initial skepticism from analysts.
Trai released recommendations on the pricing and allocation guidelines, indicating a structured approach to satellite spectrum management in India.
