Reliance Jio Urges TRAI to Revise Spectrum Allocation for Satellite Communication

India's largest telecom company Reliance Jio has urged telecom regulator TRAI to bring a revised consultation paper on spectrum allocation for satellite communication. The company has alleged that the important aspect of ensuring equal opportunity between satellite and terrestrial telecom services has been ignored in TRAI's current consultation paper. Reliance Jio has raised these issues in a letter written to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chief Anil Kumar Lahoti.

Jio, a company led by India's richest man Mukesh Ambani, has demanded amendments in the consultation paper related to "terms and conditions of spectrum allocation for satellite-based commercial communication services". Telecom company Reliance Jio has said in this letter written on October 4 that the important issue of ensuring equal opportunity between satellite-based and terrestrial access-based services has been completely ignored in TRAI's consultation paper.

Jio said that any omission on this issue would result in telecom stakeholders not being able to provide relevant details to TRAI. The telecom regulator on September 27 launched a consultation process to find out the methodology and price of spectrum allocation to satellite companies to provide calling, messaging, broadband and other services in the country.

TRAI has fixed October 18 for comments on the consultation paper and October 25 for counter comments. The decision on spectrum price and allocation methodology will pave the way for satellite-based broadband services from companies such as Elon Musk-owned Starlink, Bharti Group-backed OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications across India.