Trai bats for ‘Open Sky’ satellite policy

The regulator, on behalf of the industry, also wants a revision of the 12-year old Indian satellite communication policy, sources in Trai said.

Earlier this week, Trai shot-off a letter to the chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) asking for a re-look at the current satellite policy which has lead to a huge shortage of satellite capacity. Apart from telecom sector, Trai is also the regulator for the cable and broadcasting sector.

Sources said the regulator has supported the idea of empowering the domestic DTH and VSAT operators so that they can directly engage with foreign satellite operators if Isro can not meet the acute shortfall in transponder capacity in C, extended C and Ku bands.

This idea has already found support in the DTH and VSAT associations which have also written to department of space, department of telecommunication, I&B ministry and PMO among others.

According to industry estimates, there is a demand for over 400 transponders to meet the rapid expansion in DTH and satellite-based communication services. However, all transponders put together, Isro has provided only 180-odd transponders to the domestic users leaving a huge gap in the supply-demand equation.

Sources said the Trai letter to Isro chief may be taken up at the next meeting of Insat Coordination Council, an internal committee of Isro and the Secretaries

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