TRAI Rejects Jio’s Request to Revise Satellite Spectrum Pricing Consultation
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has dismissed Reliance Jio’s demand to revise its consultation paper regarding the administrative pricing of satellite spectrum. The consultation paper, issued on September 27, outlines terms for assigning spectrum for satellite-based communication services. TRAI officials emphasized that the Telecom Act supports the administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, eliminating auctioning as an option.
Jio, opposing the administrative allocation, argued that the consultation paper overlooked auctioning and did not consider a level playing field between satellite and terrestrial operators. In response, the Broadband India Forum (BIF), representing major tech companies like OneWeb and Amazon, labeled Jio’s claims as a “false narrative” and asserted that the current laws clearly mandate administrative assignments for satellite services.
The ongoing consultation allows stakeholders to voice their concerns, and TRAI will assess all viewpoints to maintain fairness in the spectrum allocation process. The final recommendations from TRAI will be crucial for the commercial launch of satellite internet services by companies like OneWeb and Jio .
