Airtel Reaffirms Commitment to Satcom Services for Rural Connectivity

Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel has reiterated its commitment to satellite communication (satcom) services to connect remote and underserved areas across the country. The company stressed that its stance remains unchanged, rejecting any claims of a policy shift. In a statement, Airtel emphasised its long-standing focus on using satcom technology to provide high-speed broadband connectivity in hard-to-reach areas, including maritime, aviation, defense, and disaster recovery.

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Commitment to Satcom Technology

“Airtel has always supported the ushering in of satcom services to connect the uncovered areas in the deep far-flung reaches of the nation for maritime services, aviation, our defence and security needs as also for disaster recovery activities.”

“Even six months back, Airtel had written a letter to Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Therefore, there is no question of Airtel having moved its stance,” Airtel stressed.

Airtel’s letter to the DoT in March 2024 read: “The recently released Telecommunications Act, 2023 has rightly included satcom in its ambit while assigning spectrum for satcom on an administrative basis. We continue to strongly support this approach.”

“Satcom will act as a complementary service to terrestrial communication services in bridging the digital inclusion gap and serving specific use cases of non-retail customers, such as defense, cellular backhaul, or rural and remote areas.”

“Accordingly assignment of satellite spectrum on an administrative basis can be done for such use cases. The only exception may be created for unhindered use by any government agency and for disaster management in any part of the country,” Bharti Airtel’s letter to the DoT read.