Trai told to suggest pricing & terms for satellite spectrum

The department of telecommunications (DoT) has called on the sector regulator to recommend the pricing as well as terms and conditions for allocating satellite airwaves administratively. As per the recently notified Telecommunications Act, 2023, spectrum for satellite services, including for global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) permit-holders, must be given without auctions. But the terms and conditions for spectrum usage and the price at which it’s to be allotted are yet to be defined.

“We have received a reference from DoT regarding satellite spectrum for defining the terms and conditions as well as pricing. We will give the recommendations after doing a consultation with the stakeholders,” a senior Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) official told ET on condition of anonymity. The government expects to get the recommendations in a few months as it has to notify the rules by the year-end.