DoT to take call on Starlink's India license next week: Officials

Officials say application is in order; two other players have received license

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will make a decision next week regarding whether Starlink can provide satellite-based broadband services in India, said officials on Wednesday.

Sources have indicated that a meeting scheduled for September 20 will deliberate on granting a global mobile personal communication by satellite (GMPCS) services licence to the SpaceX project.

DoT has already granted GMPCS licences to OneWeb, backed by Bharti Group, and Jio Space, the satellite arm of Reliance Jio.

Starlink, the satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, the American spacecraft manufacturer, launch service provider, and satellite communications company owned by the US tech billionaire Elon Musk, submitted its application for the licence to DoT last year.

In 2021, Starlink opened pre-booking channels in India. DoT officials have hinted that the application is likely to be accepted.

An official said, “Other players have been granted the licence. Starlink’s application is in order, and there is no reason, so far, to deny it a licence. However, every aspect will be considered.”

Spectrum hurdle awaits

Even after obtaining the licence, the company will still require necessary approvals from the Department of Space. Most importantly, it will need to acquire the spectrum required to offer its services.

Currently, industry players are awaiting the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s final recommendations on whether satellite spectrum will be auctioned or allocated by the government. Consultations on this matter concluded in June.

Satellite or orbit spectrum is a segment of the radio spectrum that becomes available when satellites are placed into orbit. This spectrum is a limited resource for every country and is used by companies to implement satellite broadcasting, communication satellite, and weather satellite services.

In the draft telecom Bill released last year, DoT extended the definition of ‘telecommunication services’ to satellite-based communication services, granting it exclusive rights over them.

All tech firms like Starlink, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, Telesat, Tata Group’s Nelco, Hughes, and OneWeb have united in their opposition to the auctioning of satcom spectrum. In contrast, telecom operators Jio and Vodafone Idea have pushed for auctions, while Bharti Airtel argued against them.

OneWeb remains the best-prepared player in the market, having completed its constellation of 618 low Earth orbit satellites in March and drawn up plans to begin satellite broadband services in India.

OneWeb is a wholesale provider of internet services through its satellite constellation, unlike the Starlink service, which is offered directly to individual users.

Project Kuiper is also expected to enter the Indian market soon, with the company indicating its keen interest in exploring the opportunities that the country represents.

How will Starlink provide broadband?

Starlink aims to offer broadband services that are faster, cheaper, and more reliable than existing options, particularly in rural and remote areas with limited or no connectivity. Currently, the system consists of over 5,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit, which communicate with designated ground transceivers.

In total, nearly 12,000 satellites carrying a communications payload using the Ku and Ka frequency bands are planned to be deployed.

Traditionally, satellites have been placed in geostationary orbits at an altitude of 36,000 kilometre (km) above the equator. However, Starlink satellites fly much closer to the Earth’s surface, at an altitude of 550 km, reducing latency and increasing the bandwidth of the connection.

SpaceX announced that it reached 1.5 million subscribers in May 2023.