Jio Satcom, OneWeb get internet services licence from telecom dept

The Department of Telecom has granted internet service provider licence to Jio Satellite Communications and Bharti Group-backed OneWeb, official sources said on Friday.

Both companies were given permits to provide satellite communication services about a year ago.

"The companies were issued an ISP (Internet Service Provider) licence recently. They can provide internet services connecting satellite service with terrestrial networks or through VSAT to end customers," an official said.

Jio Satellite Communications and OneWeb will need access to spectrum to provide services directly on the consumer terminal on which the decision is still pending.

Satellite companies have been demanding allocation of spectrum without auction, while Jio and Vodafone Idea have been pushing for spectrum allocation only through auction.

While OneWeb has its own constellation of GEO (geostationary) and LEO (low earth orbit) satellites, Jio has partnered Luxembourg SES Satellites, which has a combination of GEO and MEO (medium earth orbit) satellites in its constellation.

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal had said at the India Mobile Congress last month that OneWeb Satellite communication service is ready to connect all parts of the country from the next month.

During the event, Reliance Jio had demonstrated satellite-based giga fibre service to provide high speed broadband services to previously inaccessible geographies in the country and claimed that the service will be available across the length and breadth of the country at highly affordable prices.