Telecom Commision Accepts Trai Recommendations for In-Flight Connectivity

After a lot of back and forth, finally, the wait for in-flight cellular services is over. Now fliers will be able to make calls, send SMS and browse the internet while flying as now the Department of Telecommunications has given a green flag to allow cellular connectivity in flights. An official from the Department of Telecommunication has said: “We are in the final stages of in-flight connectivity licence norms and the service option will be given to carriers and telecom companies within two months.” The DoT has worked on the recommendations and parameters laid down by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to develop the plan for the provision of in-flight cellular services.

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The department officials have also met with some airlines and telecom operators. Some companies have shown interest in providing these services to the fliers. A DoT official has also said, “Once the licences are rolled out, then let the carriers and the telecom companies battle it out on who should take which service.”

As highlighted by an ET report, Trai’s recommendations of providing in-flight connectivity above the altitude of 3,000 metres (about 9,850 feet) were accepted by the Telecom Commission, the highest decision-making body in the telecom sector. However, the Telecom Commission did not budge on the point of international satellites being used to provide connectivity in aircraft.

Airlines operating in India have shown some interest in offering these services to the fliers since it could become an auxiliary source of revenue for these airlines. Apart from a source of income, this addition of service to their range of offerings would allow them to boast of international standards, where this service has long existed.