Govt may let satcom companies provide wireless service

New Delhi: The government is considering a proposal to allow broadband-from-space players such as Jio Satellite Communications, the satcom arm of Reliance Jio, and Bharti Group-backed OneWeb, to provide wireless connectivity to consumers with enabling handsets, officials said.

The move to grant mobility services authorisation to Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite Services (GMPCS) licence holders will potentially pave the way for companies such as Elon Musk-owned Starlink – which has applied for the licence – to compete with mobile service providers, experts said.