The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended a separate pan-India permit (outside the ambit of unified licences) for setting up satellite earth station gateways, a key resource for offering fast broadband-from-space services. The suggested satellite earth station gateway (SESG) licence under Section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act will have 20-year validity with a 10-year renewal provision. TRAI also noted that the licensee may establish SESGs in respect of one or more government-approved satellite systems. TRAI, though, has backed the sharing of satellite earth station resources among licensees, as in between a proposed SESG permit-holder and a telecom service licensee.
Meanwhile, firms registered under the Companies Act, 2013, would be eligible to apply for an SESG permit by paying a non-refundable and one-time entry-fee of Rs 1 million. However, the SESG licensee shall not be permitted to provide any kind of telecommunication service or broadcasting service directly to the consumers. As a result, only a token licence fee of Rs 1 per annum shall be levied on the licence, TRAI noted. Companies would require a separate licence, authorisation, permission to offer any kind of telecom/broadcasting services. The regulator has also suggested that no frequency spectrum be assigned to SESG permit holders as they will not be providing communication services to end-consumers.
Further, the regulator has recommended that telecom and broadcasting service permit-holders, eligible to provide satcom services can either establish their own satellite earth station gateways or connect their baseband gear with the satellite gateways set up by SESG licensees. Separately, TRAI has suggested that SESG licensees shall not be required to submit any bank guarantees. However, thry would be required to use only trusted products and be fully responsible for the security of their gateway networks while complying with the rules of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
