Ready for internet services in India: Elon Musk

NEW DELHI: US billionaire Elon Musk thanked govt for clarifying that satcom spectrum will be allotted only administratively, contrary to demand made by local heavyweights Reliance Jio and Airtel for auctions, and said he looks forward to start internet services in the country with his company Starlink .

Musk's entry faces stiff opposition from domestic telecom behemoths, who are seeking auctions in line with how they buy their airwaves.

But, he appeared unfazed with the lobbying and latched on to comments from communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia about administrative allocation. "Much appreciated! We will do our best to serve the people of India with Starlink," he said in a post from his handle on X, while responding to a user comment on govt's clarification on Tuesday.

The issue of how the spectrum needs to be given to satcom players - through auction or administratively - has virtually pitted Jio and Airtel not only against Musk but even against the new telecom law that mandates administrative allocation for satellite airwaves against bidding process, which is done in case of terrestrial services.

Scindia was also categorical in his views on the matter and said telecom law clearly states that satcom airwaves will not be auctioned. "Spectrum for satellite services will be allocated administratively but that doesn't mean that it will come without a cost. The cost of spectrum and the formula of allocation will be decided by telecom regulator Trai... Satellite spectrum across the world is administratively allocated. So, India is not doing anything different from rest of the world... satellite spectrum is a shared spectrum. If spectrum is shared then how can you price it individually?"

Govt's statement was also supported by the Indian Space Association (ISpA) which also has Airtel as a member. "Govt's intent, which was defined in the telecom act of 2023, clearly lays out assignment of satellite spectrum by administrative method, that is also a globally-harmonised practice for using of shared spectrum," ISpA director General Lt Gen (Retd) Anil Kumar Bhatt said on sidelines of the India Mobile Congress.