The satcom industry (satellite communications) is still fairly young and new compared to the terrestrial networks telecom industry. However, in a very short period, the importance of global companies in the satcom sector has increased. Companies such as Starlink, OneWeb, and more can provide connectivity services even when the terrestrial networks infrastructure or power supply is damaged. During war scenarios such as what is happening in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, satcom companies are really valuable for people to access internet services.
Starlink Providing Internet Services in Ukraine
Starlink, SpaceX owned low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband company, has started providing internet services in Ukraine. Ukraine’s Prime Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, tweeted to Musk asking Starlink to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations for continuous broadband services. Musk replied to the minister, saying the Starlink services in the country are now active, and more terminals are en route. This solidifies and signifies the importance of Starlink terminals in Ukraine right now, where the terrestrial networks might be damaged. Many areas of Ukraine might have damaged mobile towers, no power supply, and more. Thus, while the industry is fairly young, it is very important for India and the world to embrace it in the best manner possible and ensure that connectivity prevails even during war or natural calamities scenarios. Currently, India is in the process of coming out with regulations and policies regarding the future of the satcom industry. This also includes recommendations for the spectrum auctions. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) need to ensure that the satcom industry gets the best environment to grow as fast as possible. It might not be directly marketed to the customers by most companies, but it will help bring connectivity in areas where terrestrial operators can’t reach with fiber. It is still some time left for the spectrum auctions in India to be conducted as TRAI is yet to submit final recommendations for the same.
