Billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX-owned satellite internet service provider Starlink is in talks with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for the licence to offer satellite-based communication services in India. Reports say that Starlink will apply for this within a month. In the country, to offer satellite-based communication services, companies should get the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license from the government. It also needs approval from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
A year ago, Starlink had started accepting bookings for its satellite-based services but called it off as per the government directions. The GMPCS license is issued for a period of 20 years. This allows companies to offer satellite communication services in licensed service areas. As of now, Bharti Group-backed OneWeb and Reliance Jio’s ‘Jio Satellite Communications’ are part of the process. These companies are currently waiting for the release of the space policy to get clarity on that matter.
Satellite-based communication is helpful for giving broadband services in remote, hilly, and inaccessible areas. It is also useful in disaster zones when normal communication gets interrupted. The services are provided via Leo satellites.
