The Government of India (GoI) is not in any hurry to allocate spectrum to the satellite communications (satcom) companies. The likes of Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications are unlikely to get spectrum any time soon. While these companies have been conducting trials and showcasing their solutions/technology, their plans to roll out the service quickly will likely be delayed. This is because the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) first has to understand how the allotment will exactly work, said an ET report.
Until their clarity on that part, the government is not too keen on allocating spectrum to the companies. One thing is confirmed, the companies can administratively get spectrum. Further, Eutelsat OneWeb is already conducting trials in India with the trial spectrum it received recently. But these companies can't launch services commercially till the time the government allocates them spectrum.
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To Take a Few Months
Things won't go super fast in the matter. The report said quoting a DoT official that it could take a few months for the government to finalise details around the spectrum allocation or allotment to the satcom companies.
The telecom department is likely to include clauses such as frequencies will only be given to offering point-to-point services through a fixed terminal and spectrum won't be permitted to serve the retail customers.
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There are security implications as well that the government needs to sort out. While Eutelsat OneWeb has all the necessary permits from the government, until the company is provided with commercial spectrum it can't offer services to customers. Other companies such as Jio Satellite Communications, Starlink, and Project Kuiper are trying to get all the permits from the Indian government to start offering their services.
It will take a few months for the government to sort out all the details.
