On Tuesday, Rajan Bharti Mittal, the Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, announced that the company’s satellite telecom service is poised for launch in India, pending government approval.
“In India, we are waiting for the spectrum allocation to be completed. Both of our stations are set up—one in Gujarat and the other in Tamil Nadu. The base stations are prepared. Therefore, as soon as we receive the necessary permissions, we will initiate our launch in India,” Mittal shared in an interview with ANI at the World Economic Forum.
Bharti Enterprises has already deployed 635 satellites globally and is providing commercial services in various regions, according to Mittal.
Addressing the ongoing discussion regarding spectrum allocation methods, he reinforced Bharti Airtel’s position that satellite companies should pay licensing fees and obtain spectrum through auctions similar to traditional telecom operators.
“We are all advocating for a level playing field. The areas without terrestrial network coverage could greatly benefit from these services, particularly for broadband access. It’s important to consider that Satcom services offered in remote locations, as well as for maritime or defense needs, require a different regulatory approach,” he remarked.
Mittal noted that they are awaiting recommendations from the government regarding the spectrum allocation process.
Reliance Jio, led by Akash Ambani, has echoed the call for satellite companies to adhere to the same license fee and spectrum purchase model as conventional telecom firms.
Global players like Elon Musk’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper are advocating for an administrative allocation of spectrum for their satellite operations.
On the topic of pricing for satellite-based telecom services, Mittal stated that such services could be made available in remote areas at a “reasonable price.”
“We believe that the terrestrial networks in India are already strong with the deployment of 4G and 5G technologies. Satellite service is not required for urban areas; it is primarily meant for remote regions. The discussion on administrative pricing is focused on ensuring that costs remain reasonable, while integration with terrestrial networks is also taking place globally. We are confident that we can maintain competitive pricing in India’s market,” he explained.
Mittal also weighed in on the recent conversation surrounding work-life balance that has resonated with many workers in India. He emphasized that qualitative work output should be prioritized over mere quantitative efforts.
“Family and health are vital, and while it is important to achieve balance, the emphasis should be on quality of output,” Mittal concluded.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
