Telecom Licenses

India has proposed a licensing approach to assigning spectrum for satellite internet services and exempt companies from having to bid for it, a win for Elon Musk's venture Starlink which has lobbied hard against any auctions.

Starlink is set to get the government's approval to offer its services in the country, according to a report. The SpaceX subsidiary is expected to soon offer Internet access to individual customers and organisations in India, after the company reportedly agreed to comply with the country's rules related to data storage.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) is likely to approach the sector regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) this week for the auction of a set of spectrum bands as well as radio waves held by permits that are due to expire in 2024, an official source said. DoT is expected to hold the auction in the March quarter of the current fiscal.

Web conference company Zoom Video Communications (ZVC) has secured a pan-India telecom licence that will enable it to offer telephone services as well to enterprise customers, ZVC said on Wednesday. US-based Zoom has been offering voice and video conference service through its website and app.

5G services have been rolled out across 329 cities spread across all licensed service areas, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Population-scale solutions are being tested on Indian 4G/5G indigenous stacks across the platforms such as healthcare, agriculture, smart manufacturing, education, gaming, and drones, Minister of State for Communications...

Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) said that over-the-top (OTT) players should pay telcos for using their network. The industry body has written to the government to set up a licensing and regulatory framework to charge a usage fee from big OTT players.

COAI on Tuesday pitched for licensing and light-touch regulation for OTT communication services, as part of its suggestions on definition of OTT networks as part of the draft telecom bill. The telecom operators' body also said that OTT services, which include apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Google Meet, and Telegram, should directly compensate telcos f...

The Ministry of Communication has extended the last date for receipt of comments from the general public and stakeholders towards the draft of the Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022, till November 20 this year. "The draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022, along with an Explanatory Note, was released by this Ministry on DoT's website on Septembe...

TRAI's apprehensions over potential dilution of powers under the draft telecom bill have been addressed, and the government may look at the option of taking up provisions related to strengthening of the regulatory body separately at a later stage, DoT sources said.

The government on Wednesday unveiled new policy reforms for satellite communications services to ease procedures and streamline clearance processes and nudged the telecom industry to substantially speed up the deployment of 5G towers. Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the current pace of tower deployment at only 2,500 per week for 5G is "...

Elon Musk and the White House are said to be in talks to set up the former's SpaceX satellite internet services Starlink in Iran, where Internet access remains restricted over widespread national protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. Last month, the US Treasury Department last month said that some satellite Internet equipment ca...

Elon Musk's SpaceX will be the third company to seek permission to launch the company's Starlink Internet services in India, according to a report. The company will reportedly seek statutory approvals from the government, on order to obtain landing rights and access to the market. Starlink was asked by the government to refund pre-orders of its sat...

Australia has flagged tough new data protection laws after a cyberattack that resulted in the theft of personal data of 9.8 million customers from telecom provider Optus, the second-largest in the country. The government blames lax cybersecurity at Optus, a subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications, also known as Singtel, for the breach that expos...

The Department Of Telecommunications said it is unlawful to possess or sell jammers by anyone other than licensed telecom service provider.

SpaceX has announced that Starlink is now ready to be immediately shipped in 32 countries across the world.

India has proposed a licensing approach to assigning spectrum for satellite internet services and exempt companies from having to bid for it, a win for Elon Musk's venture Starlink which has lobbied hard against any auctions.

Starlink is set to get the government's approval to offer its services in the country, according to a report. The SpaceX subsidiary is expected to soon offer Internet access to individual customers and organisations in India, after the company reportedly agreed to comply with the country's rules related to data storage.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) is likely to approach the sector regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) this week for the auction of a set of spectrum bands as well as radio waves held by permits that are due to expire in 2024, an official source said. DoT is expected to hold the auction in the March quarter of the current fiscal.

Web conference company Zoom Video Communications (ZVC) has secured a pan-India telecom licence that will enable it to offer telephone services as well to enterprise customers, ZVC said on Wednesday. US-based Zoom has been offering voice and video conference service through its website and app.

5G services have been rolled out across 329 cities spread across all licensed service areas, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Population-scale solutions are being tested on Indian 4G/5G indigenous stacks across the platforms such as healthcare, agriculture, smart manufacturing, education, gaming, and drones, Minister of State for Communications...

Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) said that over-the-top (OTT) players should pay telcos for using their network. The industry body has written to the government to set up a licensing and regulatory framework to charge a usage fee from big OTT players.

COAI on Tuesday pitched for licensing and light-touch regulation for OTT communication services, as part of its suggestions on definition of OTT networks as part of the draft telecom bill. The telecom operators' body also said that OTT services, which include apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Google Meet, and Telegram, should directly compensate telcos f...

The Ministry of Communication has extended the last date for receipt of comments from the general public and stakeholders towards the draft of the Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022, till November 20 this year. "The draft Indian Telecommunication Bill, 2022, along with an Explanatory Note, was released by this Ministry on DoT's website on Septembe...

TRAI's apprehensions over potential dilution of powers under the draft telecom bill have been addressed, and the government may look at the option of taking up provisions related to strengthening of the regulatory body separately at a later stage, DoT sources said.

The government on Wednesday unveiled new policy reforms for satellite communications services to ease procedures and streamline clearance processes and nudged the telecom industry to substantially speed up the deployment of 5G towers. Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the current pace of tower deployment at only 2,500 per week for 5G is "...

Elon Musk and the White House are said to be in talks to set up the former's SpaceX satellite internet services Starlink in Iran, where Internet access remains restricted over widespread national protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. Last month, the US Treasury Department last month said that some satellite Internet equipment ca...

Elon Musk's SpaceX will be the third company to seek permission to launch the company's Starlink Internet services in India, according to a report. The company will reportedly seek statutory approvals from the government, on order to obtain landing rights and access to the market. Starlink was asked by the government to refund pre-orders of its sat...

Australia has flagged tough new data protection laws after a cyberattack that resulted in the theft of personal data of 9.8 million customers from telecom provider Optus, the second-largest in the country. The government blames lax cybersecurity at Optus, a subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications, also known as Singtel, for the breach that expos...

The Department Of Telecommunications said it is unlawful to possess or sell jammers by anyone other than licensed telecom service provider.

SpaceX has announced that Starlink is now ready to be immediately shipped in 32 countries across the world.