Jio Satellite Communications and Bharti Enterprises-owned OneWeb have now received the licence from the government to provide broadband internet services to end users using satellite, officials said. It’s noteworthy that these companies have secured pan-India Internet Service Provider (ISP) licenses, which are essential for delivering internet connectivity to end-users through satellite or mobile networks.
An ISP licence is different from global mobile personal communication by satellite (GMPCS) service licence, which is the first and foremost requirement for companies looking to establish communication between satellite and earth station gateways for offering voice and data services through satellite technology.
While GMPCS licence is mandatory, for offering broadband connectivity to end users, especially at homes or offices, the companies require other licences such as ISP, an official said.
Now, with GMPCS and ISP licences, both OneWeb and Jio Satellite are ready to commercially rollout satellite-based internet services. Only clarity on the satellite spectrum allotment is required, before the companies start their services.
On Wednesday, the department of telecommunications (DoT) allotted the ISP A (national area) as well VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) licences to OneWeb. Jio Satellite had received the ISP licence last month, officials said.
VSAT is a device with an antenna typically having a diameter of about one meter. VSAT is capable of transmitting/receiving data, voice, & video signals. The same is used for banking/ATM machine connectivity in rural areas. VSAT is often used for providing backhaul connectivity for cellular mobile services.
Industry officials said while the GMPCS licence is meant for mobile devices/services on-the-move and not for fixed sites, both VSAT and ISP together can deliver broadband internet services.
At the India Mobile Congress on October 27, Jio demonstrated India’s first satellite-based gigabit Internet service JioSpaceFiber, which can potentially be used to provide high-speed Internet services to inaccessible areas in the country. The company has connected four remote locations with JioSpaceFiber — Gir in Gujarat, Korba in Chattisgarh, Nabarangpur in Odisha, and Jorhat in Assam, using the spectrum on trial.
OneWeb also talked about its readiness to serve the demand with its satellite constellation from this month’s end.
Among other players in the fray, while Elon Musk-owned Starlink is expected to get the GMPCS licence soon, Amazon’s Project Kuiper has applied for the licence to offer satcom services in the country.
Satellite Internet services are best suited for far-flung areas, where to make the services affordable the companies may need some form of government subsidy.
Last week, FE reported that in the absence of the appointment of a new Trai chairman, the issue of satellite spectrum allocation will be delayed. The delay in finalising the position on the allocation of satellite spectrum will affect the rollout of satellite-based broadband services by operators like OneWeb and Jio Satellite.