Starlink's satellite broadband services license application in India is set to move forward after it agreed with the department of telecommunications (DoT) to meet the government's data localisation and security requirements, according to a Moneycontrol report.
This was a key point of contention in the entire saga of Elon Musk's Starlink and Jeff Bezos' Kuiper's attempt to enter India. The security guidelines state that a satellite communications company operating in India must store all data within the country only.
Also Read: Singapore Airlines to invest ₹3,194.5 crore more into Air India after Vistara merger for 25.1% stake
However, Starlink is yet to submit its agreement, according to the report which added that it also has to show how intelligence agencies can intercept data if necessary.
Starlink's 2022 application for the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite Services (GMPCS) licence is the first step before acquiring a trial spectrum at a nominal application fee.
It also had applied for authorisation with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), the space regulator., which has now moved forward, according to the report.
{{/usCountry}}It also had applied for authorisation with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), the space regulator., which has now moved forward, according to the report.
{{/usCountry}}The services can commence only after the government establishes pricing and spectrum allocation rules, which will come after the TRAI releases recommendations by the end of December.
This comes amid the newly elected US President Donald Trump talking about a big role for Elon Musk in his administration, with Musk fully endorsing him and providing funds as well throughout his campaign.
Starlink and Kuiper are both currently caught in a battle with private telecom operators Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, with the telcos expressing concerns and asserting that only auctioned satellite spectrum should be used for urban or “retail” consumers for a level playing field as they got their spectrums through auctions in the first place, rather than through administrative allocations.
However, Starlink responded saying terrestrial telecom services and satellite communications are fundamentally different and can't be compared, adding that if 5G mobile spectrum can be shared among telecom companies, it should be allocated administratively instead of through an auction.
Also Read: Nestle, PepsiCo sell substandard products in low-income countries like India, claims report