Top News

Global satcom provider Starlink will need fresh approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to offer its new technology services like direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity in India.

D2D service allows satellites to directly communicate with devices like smartphones, IoT trackers and more.

However, IN-SPACe had earlier rejected the Elon Musk-led company’s application for Gen 2 constellation, which would have allowed it to offer all its services, including D2D, Economic Times reported.

The licence for Gen2 constellation was rejected as they operate on higher frequency bands, some of which are not permitted to operate in India, the report said, citing an official.

IN-SPACe had earlier granted approval for only the Gen 1 constellation. It only offers traditional broadband services through 4,408 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, that hover in altitudes ranging between 540-570 km and are capable of providing a 600 Gbps speed throughout the country.

Another official was cited as saying that IN-SPACe is now ready to review the application for Gen 2 constellation once it is resubmitted, as D2D connectivity wasn’t popular when the request to launch had originally been made a few years ago. It is not clear yet if Starlink plans to apply for a licence for D2D connectivity.

Notably, specific regulations for D2D connectivity are yet to be formulated, hence the technology has not been allowed in the country yet. The telecom department is reportedly mulling over the technology, and a reference is likely to be sent to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for pricing and other modalities.

It will also have to work with the regulator to decide on spectrum bands for D2D connectivity, and is in talks with stakeholders like OEMs, operating system providers, and satcom companies.

D2D connectivity has been a point of contention for traditional telecom operators, who argue that it will hurt their business considerably. The companies have also argued that providers of D2D connectivity should come under the same regulatory gambit as them.

Starlink’s Long Road To India

In-SPACe cleared Starlink’s application to begin commercial operations in India through LEO satellites constellation Starlink Gen1 in July last year. It had received similar approvals from the telecom department and TRAI earlier in the year.

Starlink is planning to set up 20 earth stations or gateways across Noida, Chennai, and Navi Mumbai, and construction for some is already underway. Indian regulations mandate that Starlink should store all user data locally and not use any foreign gateways for routing user traffic.

With its current capacity, the company can onboard up to 20 Lakh users in India. Its user terminal is likely to cost around INR 33,000, with a monthly subscription fee of INR 3,000.

Telecom operators have been lobbying for spectrum allocation for satcom services to happen through an auction, but Starlink had advocated for administrative allocation, which the government has largely sided with.

Consequently, even though Starlink has received provisional spectrum approval to build ground infrastructure and carry out security compliance tests in the country, there is no clarity on the timeline for spectrum allocation. Other satcom players like OneWeb India and Jio Platforms SES have also received the necessary approvals to launch their services in the country.

The post Starlink Will Need Fresh Approval From IN-SPACe For D2D Connectivity: Report appeared first on Inc42 Media.