The chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), PD Vaghela, stated at a Broadband India Forum summit on SatCom that India will be the first nation to auction spectrum for satellite communication and that it should be planned in a way to draw investments in the industry. In order to improve the ease of doing business in the sector, TRAI will shortly offer proposals to streamline licences needed for satellite communication from multiple ministries, including Information and Broadcasting, Space, and Telecom.
Information on the Satellite Spectrum Auction
According to Vaghela, the Department of Telecommunication has provided TRAI with a reference about the satellite-based communication-related aspects of the spectrum that must be put up for auction. He continued by saying that India would be the first nation to deal with the auctioning of the space base spectrum. As reported by PTI, Vaghela said that the Department of Telecommunication had provided TRAI with a reference about the satellite-based communication-related aspects of the spectrum that must be put up for auction. He continued by saying that India would be the first nation to deal with the auctioning of the spectrum for satellite communications. He further went on to say that it is crucial that the auction keeps the industry alive. Additionally, any system that TRAI implements is designed to actually support and promote investment in the industry rather than add to the burden. TRAI has not yet released a consultation paper regarding the spectrum auction in accordance with the regular procedure intended for satellite communication. In response to a question regarding the paper’s progress, Vaghela stated that TRAI is now discussing an appropriate model with experts and regulators across the globe and that the consultation paper will be made available after those discussions are complete. While telecom companies have suggested allocating spectrum for satellite communication through an auction, players in the satellite industry have resisted it.
