With Starlink application for satellite communication services in India getting the go-ahead from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the company needs to secure IN-SPACe clearance in record time if it wants to roll out signals alongside others, industry insiders say.
It's competitors Airtel-backed Eutelsat Oneweb had received a global mobile personal communication by satellite (GMPCS) license from August 2021 while Jio Satellite Communication has held it since March 2022.
However, the two companies had secured the space regulators nod nearly two years after getting their GMPCS licenses, in November 2023 and June 2024, respectively, people in the know pointed out.
Established in June,2020, IN-SPACe is an autonomous agency under the Department of Space that promotes and regulates space activities for non-government entities.
It acts as a single-window for private sector participation in the space sector, facilitating activities, providing space-based services, and sharing infrastructure.
“Given the rigorous scrutiny by the DoT and others, the application is expected to sail through.
"But one can't be certain of the timing given that IN-SPACe has to ensure that all entrants in India's space sector benefit it both strategically and economically”, a source involved in the discussions said.
Further steps
After securing the necessary authorization from IN-SPACe, Starlink has to apply for satellite spectrum on a trial basis from the government to showcase a demo of its technology, and service.
Meanwhile, officials said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is expected to soon bring out its recommendations on satellite spectrum.
It will detail the modalities for allocation of space spectrum, including its price, licensing conditions such as duration, and technical parameters like frequency bands and bandwidth use.
In case Trai releases its recommendations soon, and the DoT begins implementing it, Starlink would need to play catch up.
The Centre on Wednesday gave Elon Musk’s firm approval to operate satellite internet services in India, over two years after the US firm had applied for a GMPCS services license, needed to offer satellite-based broadband services in India.
The DoT issued a letter of intent in this regard, pending final clearance from other bodies, officials said.
Starlink's application for a GMPCS services license has remained under processing since November 2022.
"The DoT has extensively scrutinized Starlink's application.
"They have provided an undertaking to meet all the license conditions, including the updated technical and security requirements announced earlier this week.
"The license is expected to be given soon after Starlink demonstrates its ability to meet all the conditions," an official said on Thursday.
However, he stressed the space regulator is not expected to hold up Starlink's application.
Starlink provides satcom services in over a 100-countries through a constellation of over 7,000 low earth orbit satellites operated by SpaceX.
THE WAY AHEAD
- Firm needs to secure IN-SPACe clearance in record time if it wants to roll out signals
- Subsequently, it also needs trial spectrum to give a demo of its services
- It needs to demonstrate ability to comply with security and technical guidelines
- Trai to bring out recommendations on administrative allocation of satellite spectrum
- The satcom operator needs to get ground infrastructure and above permissions in place, before this
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