A bunch representing Indian telecom giants Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel has stated their companies will endure if India costs satellite tv for pc spectrum at “unjustifiably low” charges that profit satellite tv for pc web companies comparable to Elon Musk’s Starlink.
India’s telecom regulator in Might proposed satellite tv for pc service suppliers pay 4 p.c of their annual income to the federal government for providing companies. Starlink had lobbied India to not public sale spectrum however simply assign licences in step with a worldwide pattern, saying it’s a pure useful resource that ought to be shared by corporations.
The Mobile Operators Affiliation of India in a Might 29 letter to the telecoms ministry sought a evaluation of these pricing proposals, saying conventional gamers pay larger upfront public sale costs for telecoms spectrum which make their funds to the federal government for spectrum roughly 21 p.c larger, when in comparison with what satellite tv for pc gamers would pay.
“Worth per MHz ought to be equal or at the very least comparable for each, particularly when used to succeed in the identical customers for an identical companies,” stated the letter, seen by Reuters.
“Satellite tv for pc companies can provide aggressive and reasonably priced alternate options to terrestrial broadband,” it added.
Reliance, led by Asia’s richest man Ambani, and Airtel did not reply to Reuters’ request for remark. Starlink was not instantly obtainable for remark.
A senior Indian authorities supply informed Reuters on Wednesday the telecoms ministry continues to be reviewing the pricing suggestions made by the regulator, including such business issues have been raised previously.
Telecom gamers like Reliance Jio are involved they are going to be providing related wi-fi broadband companies as satellite tv for pc suppliers however paying way more, stated an business supply with direct data of the state of affairs.
Reliance and others have spent practically $20 billion (roughly Rs. 1,71,773 crore) lately to get 5G spectrum through auctions to supply telecom, information and broadband companies.
Ambani’s firm unsuccessfully lobbied New Delhi for months to public sale satellite tv for pc spectrum, and never allot it administratively as Musk’s Starlink wished.
Although Reliance and Airtel have signed distribution offers in March for Starlink tools, they are going to proceed to compete with Musk’s choices to clients as soon as launched.
The method of Starlink getting a license is “practically full”, telecoms minister Jyotiraditya Scindia informed The Print information web site on Tuesday.
© Thomson Reuters 2025
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
