The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released recommendations on ‘Terms and Conditions for the Assignment of Spectrum for Certain Satellite-Based Commercial Communication Services’.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT), through a reference dated July 11, 2024, stated that keeping in view the provisions of section 4 and the first schedule of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, in terms of section 11(1)(a) of the TRAI Act 1997, TRAI is requested to provide recommendations on terms and conditions of spectrum assignment including spectrum pricing while accounting for level playing field with terrestrial access services for the following satellite-based communication services,

  • Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) based fixed satellite services providing data communication and Internet services. In its recommendations, TRAI may consider services provided by GSO-based satellite communication service providers.
  • GSO/ NGSO based mobile satellite services providing voice, text, data, and internet services.

In this regard, TRAI issued a consultation paper on ‘Terms and Conditions for the Assignment of Spectrum for Certain Satellite-Based Commercial Communication Services’ on September 27, 2024, for seeking comments and counter comments from stakeholders on 21 issues raised in the consultation paper. Initially, the last dates for furnishing comments and counter comments initially were October 18, 2024, and October 25, 2024, respectively. However, considering the request of some of the stakeholders, the last dates for furnishing written comments and counter comments were extended to October 25, 2024, and November 1, 2024, respectively.

In response to the issues raised in the consultation paper, 30 stakeholders furnished comments, and 12 stakeholders furnished counter comments. As part of the consultation process, TRAI conducted an open house discussion (OHD) on the consultation paper through virtual mode on November 8,2024.

Based on the comments received from stakeholders during the consultation process, and further analysis, TRAI has finalised its recommendations on ‘Terms and Conditions for the Assignment of Spectrum for Certain Satellite-Based Commercial Communication Services.’

Some salient points of the recommendations are given below,

  • For assigning frequency spectrum for user links and feeder links for NGSO-based Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) for data communication and Internet service, frequency spectrum in K-under (Ku) band, K-above (Ka) band, and Q/V band should be considered.
  • For assigning frequency spectrum for GSO/NGSO-based MSS for providing voice, text, data communication and internet service, the following frequency bands should be considered:
  • L band and S band for user links; and C band, Ku band, Ka band and Q/V band for feeder links
  • Frequency spectrum should be assigned for NGSO-based FSS and GSO/ NGSO-based MSS for a period of up to five years. However, considering the market conditions, the government may extend it for a further period of up to two years.
  • Terms and conditions including prices for the spectrum assignment for NGSO-based FSS and GSO/ NGSO-based MSS, recommended through these recommendations, should remain valid for a period of five years from the date of notification of the policy regime by the central government, further extendable by a period of up to two years.
  • Any revision in the terms and conditions including prices for the spectrum assignment for NGSO based FSS and GSO/ NGSO based MSS, notified by the central government after a period of five years from the date of notification of the policy regime recommended through these recommendations, should become applicable to all authorised entities including the existing entities.
  • To control interference, the relevant provisions of ITU Radio Regulations (ITU-RR) should be made applicable to the authorised entities, and other entities which have been authorised by the central government.