Jio remains persistent, insists satcom spectrum must be auctioned

Reliance Jio has written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India seeking a review of the consultation paper on satellite spectrum issued last month. The contention is that the regulator has ignored DoT’s terms of reference, specifying a level-playing field with terrestrial networks, making them vulnerable to legal challenges. The recommendations have leaned toward administrative spectrum assignment, against the new telecom law that states auction as the default method for assigning spectrum for commercial services. Satellite communication services are in direct competition with terrestrial services, so spectrum should be auctioned.

OneWeb, Starlink, and Kuiper champion direct allocation, a global practice. Auctions would make broadband from space services unaffordable in India and deprive millions of high-speed satellite internet connectivity, particularly in rural and underserved regions.

“Auctions, in general, don’t work for the satcom business model, and previous attempts like those in the US, Brazil, and Mexico were unsuccessful in attracting bidders, resulting in their abandoning auctions altogether as an approach towards distributing satcom resources,” opines Anirudh Rastogi, founder and managing partner of Ikigai Law. His tech-focused law firm advises some of the world’s largest satellite service players.
BCS Bureau