Reliance Jio lobbies India over satellite spectrum in new clash with Elon Musk
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio has argued that the telecom regulator wrongly concluded that home satellite broadband spectrum should be allocated and not auctioned, a letter seen by Reuters shows, allowing Elon Musk’s Starlink The conflict has intensified.
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Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance has argued that the telecom regulator wrongly concluded that home satellite broadband spectrum should be allocated and not auctioned, a letter seen by Reuters shows. The conflict with has intensified.
The methodology for awarding spectrum for satellite services in India – a market set to grow 36% per year to $1.9 billion by 2030 according to Deloitte – has been a contentious issue since last year.
Global partners like Musk’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper support administrative allocation, while Ambani – Asia’s richest man who runs India’s Reliance Jio – is arguing for an auction process. The current dispute is over the interpretation of Indian law, which some in the industry say paved the way for the spectrum allocation last year that Musk wanted. But industry sources on Sunday said Reliance is arguing that there is no provision for satellite broadband services for individual or home users.
Telecom regulator, TRAI, is holding a public consultation, but in a private October 10 letter seen by Reuters, Reliance asked to start the process afresh because the watchdog has made a “pre-determined interpretation” that the allocation This is the way to move forward.
“TRAI appears to have concluded without any basis that the spectrum assignment should be administrative,” Reliance’s senior regulatory affairs officer Kapoor Singh Guliani said in a letter to India’s Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Reliance said in its letter, TRAI has indicated in its consultation paper that Indian laws mandate spectrum allocation for such services without any study.
“We have requested TRAI to amend the consultation paper to ensure a level playing field,” Reliance Jio said in a statement to Reuters on Sunday, adding that “it is mandatory for TRAI to also consult on the methodology of assignment.” Is”. Spectrum.
A senior TRAI official on Sunday said due process was being followed and Reliance was welcome to share feedback during the consultation period. The recommendations of the watchdog will form the basis of the government’s decision on this matter.
