Reliance lobbies for satellite spectrum auction in new clash with Starlink
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance on Friday pressured India’s telecoms watchdog to reconsider its plan not to auction satellite spectrum but simply allocate it, in a new clash with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Indian telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said last month that the government would allocate spectrum administratively in line with global trends, but a final announcement on how spectrum will be distributed will come after telecom watchdog TRAI provides feedback.
Musk’s Starlink has expressed interest in launching in India after a successful launch in Africa, where local players were hurt by low broadband prices, and is in favor of the government’s approach to spectrum allocation.
However, Ravi Gandhi, a top Reliance policy executive, on Friday urged telecom regulator TRAI to review the decision, noting in an open house discussion organized by TRAI that the move to allocate spectrum administratively “ the most discriminatory method is to allocate public resources of any kind.”
On the other hand, Parnil Urdhwareshe, managing director of Starlink India, said India’s allocation plan was “forward-looking”.
Billionaire Ambani heads India’s largest telecom company, Reliance Jio. Analysts say a spectrum auction, which would require much more investment, would likely deter foreign rivals.
The TRAI recommendations, which will be prepared in the coming weeks, will be crucial in determining the future course of satellite spectrum sharing.
Reliance, which has dominated India’s telecom sector for years, is concerned that after spending $19 billion on radio auctions, it risks losing broadband customers to Musk, and possibly even data and voice customers later as the technology advances, Reuters previously reported .
The methodology of allocating spectrum for satellite services in India has been a topic of discussion among the billionaires.
Musk’s Starlink, a unit of SpaceX, has 6,400 active satellites in orbit to provide low-latency broadband to 4 million customers.
Ambani once gave free data on his mobile plans, but Musk is no stranger to such tactics.
In Kenya, Musk priced Starlink at $10 per month, versus $120 in the United States, with rental plans available for higher hardware costs. Kenyan Safaricom filed a complaint with local regulators in July, calling on players like Starlink to collaborate with mobile networks and not operate independently. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance on Friday pressured India’s telecoms watchdog to reconsider its plan not to auction satellite spectrum but simply allocate it, in a new clash with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Indian telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said last month that the government would allocate spectrum administratively in line with global trends, but a final announcement on how spectrum will be distributed will come after telecom watchdog TRAI provides feedback.
Musk’s Starlink has expressed interest in launching in India after a successful launch in Africa, where local players were hurt by low broadband prices, and is in favor of the government’s approach to spectrum allocation.
However, Ravi Gandhi, a top Reliance policy executive, on Friday urged telecom regulator TRAI to review the decision, noting in an open house discussion organized by TRAI that the move to allocate spectrum administratively “ the most discriminatory method is to allocate public resources of any kind.”
On the other hand, Parnil Urdhwareshe, managing director of Starlink India, said India’s allocation plan was “forward-looking”.
Billionaire Ambani heads India’s largest telecom company, Reliance Jio. Analysts say a spectrum auction, which would require much more investment, would likely deter foreign rivals.
The TRAI recommendations, which will be prepared in the coming weeks, will be crucial in determining the future course of satellite spectrum sharing.
Reliance, which has dominated India’s telecom sector for years, is concerned that after spending $19 billion on radio auctions, it risks losing broadband customers to Musk, and possibly even data and voice customers later as the technology advances, Reuters previously reported .
The methodology of allocating spectrum for satellite services in India has been a topic of discussion among the billionaires.
Musk’s Starlink, a unit of SpaceX, has 6,400 active satellites in orbit to provide low-latency broadband to 4 million customers.
Ambani once gave free data on his mobile plans, but Musk is no stranger to such tactics.
In Kenya, Musk priced Starlink at $10 per month, versus $120 in the United States, with rental plans available for higher hardware costs. Kenyan Safaricom filed a complaint with local regulators in July, calling on players like Starlink to collaborate with mobile networks and not operate independently.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
