Starlink applies for India licence
October 20, 2022
By Chris Forrester
Starlink has formally applied for a GMPCS (Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite) licence from India’s Department of Trade (DoT). The service was previously ordered to refund potential subscribers after offering pre-orders before holding a licence.
Starlink, once licensed, will join OneWeb (backed by Bharti Airtel) and Reliance’s Jio satellite division (which is working with SES) as potential suppliers of telecoms to the general public.
The Starlink DoT application was lodged a week ago but is just the first step. Simultaneously, it will want approvals granted by the Department of Space, as well as India’s National Space Promotion & Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) for permission to establish ground-based teleports/gateways.
While Starlink might be somewhat frustrated by the delays in tapping into what could be a hugely valuable market, it is not alone. Local reports suggest that OneWeb is also waiting for its all its permissions.