Indian telcos flag concerns over backdoor entry of Satcom operators: Report

India’s telecom service providers have written to the Department of Space flagging their concerns over the “backdoor entry” of satellite communications (Satcom) operators in the country, as per a Business Standard report.

This follows the announcement of billionaire businessman Elon Musk’s announcement on microblogging platform Twitter that his Starlink internet services would launch in India once it receives suitable regulatory approvals in 2021.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), while responding to the draft Spacecom Policy released last month, has opined that non-government private entities (NGPE) that have been permitted to establish their own space systems for providing communication services should be objected to the same licensing regulations as telecom service providers (TSPs) in order to ensure a “level playing field.”

The COAI represents Airtel, Vi, and Reliance Jio and global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Nokia and Ericsson.

COAI has further demanded that NGPEs obtain spectrum through auctions, like how telcos do and not just through authorization by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), as suggested in the draft policy.

The telcos have further warned the telecom department that a license should be made necessary as the “international satellite lobby” may establish NGPEs in order to come up with a number of paper satellite filings to claim protection from the terrestrial use of mmWave bands earmarked for IMT services.

The COAI letter further states that this “abnormal protection” may drive up costs for the deployment of next-generation network technology, consequently depriving Indians of 5G services.

“Stringent criterion and control on private satellite filings and the protection criterion must be considered after these NGPEs acquire spectrum through auction”, the COAI said in its letter.

This latest letter was sent after an apex panel of secretaries nudged the Department of Space (DoS) and the defense ministry to heed the DoT’s request to part with unused 5G spectrum – both in the coveted 26 GHz band and those in the 3.3-3.6 GHz frequencies – for commercial use by telcos.

The DoT wants the government to release 3,000 units of 26 GHz millimeter wave spectrum and 300 units in the 3.3-3.6 GHz for 5G. The airwaves are with the DoS and the defense ministry.

Globally, satellite-based broadband services have been picking pace. Bharti Airtel has also bought a 45% stake in UK-based communications company OneWeb for $500 million. A joint bidding entity of Bharti Global and the British government, which recently won a bid to take over UK’s OneWeb, has written to Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to secure landing rights to use the bankrupt British firm’s satellite systems capacity in India to deliver fast wireless broadband services, ET had reported.

Bharti Global is the overseas arm of Bharti Enterprises – the holding company of Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator.