Starlink, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband provider backed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX venture, has reportedly applied to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for a global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) licence, the Economic Times writes, citing unnamed officials.
The concession would be the first step towards launching commercial satellite broadband services in India, but DoT officials were cited as adding that Starlink will also need authorisation from the Department of Space and spectrum rights before it can begin offering services. The application makes Starlink the third company to file for a satellite broadband permit from the DoT, with Airtel’s OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications having already begun the licensing process.
Source: https://www.commsupdate.com/articles/2022/10/18/starlink-files-for-indian-satellite-licence/