1 day ago
1
India's telecom regulator plans to urge that outer broadband spectrum beryllium allotted for astir 5 years to measure archetypal marketplace adoption, defying Elon Musk's Starlink, which is seeking a 20-year permit, said a elder authorities source.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is presently moving connected cardinal recommendations to the national government, including a clip framework and pricing of outer spectrum, which volition beryllium administratively allotted.
Musk and Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani forged a concern this week that volition let Starlink devices to beryllium sold successful Ambani's Reliance stores, giving it ample organisation access. They were rivals earlier - Ambani's telco subsidiary had unsuccessfully lobbied New Delhi for months to auction spectrum, and not allot it administratively arsenic Musk wanted.
Starlink has pushed New Delhi to allot spectrum for 20 years to absorption connected "affordable pricing and longer-term concern plans", portion Reliance sought it for 3 years, aft which it wants India to reassess the market, according to their nationalist submissions.
Another Indian telco, Bharti Airtel, has besides pushed for a 3-5 twelvemonth play for the licence. Airtel and Musk person besides signed a organisation woody for Starlink, similar Ambani's Reliance.
TRAI plans to hold to demands for a little licence time-frame "of astir 5 years and past spot however the assemblage grows," said the elder authorities source, who declined to beryllium named arsenic the decision-making process is confidential.
"This volition assistance recognize however the marketplace stabilises, truthful there's nary constituent going beyond 5 years," said the official.
An manufacture root acquainted with licensing processes said the shorter time-frame volition let New Delhi to revise spectrum prices aft 5 years arsenic the marketplace develops.
TRAI did not respond to Reuters queries. Airtel, Reliance and Starlink besides did not instantly respond.
The authorities root added it volition instrumentality astir a period for the TRAI to finalise its recommendations connected the licence time- framework and a per megahertz spectrum pricing, which volition past beryllium submitted to India's telecoms ministry for further action.
Musk's deals with Reliance and Airtel are taxable to Starlink winning pending regulatory clearances successful India, but came weeks aft Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Musk successful Washington, wherever they discussed issues including space, mobility, exertion and innovation.
Ambani has been disquieted that his telecom company, which spent $19 cardinal successful airwave auctions, risks losing broadband customers to Starlink and perchance adjacent information and dependable clients later.
The outer spectrum pricing "will beryllium substantially lower" than accepted telecom licences, which are granted via auction for 20 years, the authorities authoritative added.
KPMG estimates India’s outer connection assemblage volition turn much than 10 times successful size to interaction $25 cardinal by 2028.
Published - March 14, 2025 09:56 americium IST
English (US) ·