Editorial – October 2020

The Spacecom Policy-2020 opens up the space sector to private players for commercial communications. It calls them Non-Government Private Entities or NGPEs. The private sector will be able to use orbital slots, satellites and ground stations for communications. The policy details authorizations that would be required for setting up new communication satellites and ground stations and will replace the existing Satcom Policy. A responsive regulatory environment is also envisaged to establish and operate space-based communications systems.

Private companies setting up satellite based communication systems will be able to offer their solutions within India and in the international markets. The authorization entity for the private players is the Department of Space. Thereafter, the NGPEs will have to get appropriate license and spectrum from the I&B ministry or communication ministry on payment of fee.

Non-commercial communication services are proposed to be free of any license fee or spectrum charges.

Among other things, the policy proposes to hand over all the existing satellites operated by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) – such as INSAT and GSAT – to the PSUs, like the New Space India Ltd, at no or notional cost which can then charge tariffs as deemed fit for commercialisation.

The government expects the participation of private players to ramp up the spread of satellite based communication services across India.

Spacecom 2020 has however raised several concerns from the cellular industry. Its apex association has represented its feedback to the secretary, DoS in detail. COAI has stated that if satcom were to be opened up for commercial communications, there must be level playing field between TSPs and NGPEs and this must be operative in two fields. First, both must have similar licensing conditions. Second, satcom service providers must acquire spectrum in auctions like TSPs and not get it by authorization alone.

The industry association has red flagged spectrum hoarding possibilities, and stated that to avoid this, satcom service providers must first acquire spectrum in auctions before approaching ITU for orbital assets.