Satcom spectrum allocation via auctions hangs in the balance

New Delhi: The government may have put satellite spectrum under the administrative allocation route in the revised telecom bill, but that doesn’t mean it’s a certainty that players such as Bharti group-backed Oneweb, Elon Musk-owned Starlink, and other commercial entities will get the airwaves without auctions.

Officials aware of the details told ET that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has added global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) in the schedule 1 of telecom bill, wherein spectrum may be administratively allocated for use of government functions or purposes of public interest.

But they said the additions have been done to make it an enabling provision for the government to take a decision around spectrum allocation. But, it does not mean auctions are ruled out.