Telecom Department Issues Security Norms for Satellite Internet Companies Before Launch of Elin Musk’s Starlink in India

The Telecom Department (DOT) has released the rules related to security for satellite internet services in the country. Under these rules, the connection of users has been banned from a terminal outside the country’s border. Along with this, companies offering satellite internet service will not be able to process their data abroad.

In these rules, it has been made mandatory for companies providing this service to the ground segment of satellite network within a few years of starting business in the country. The race to start this service includes Billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink, Bharti Group’s Investment Onweeb and Jio Satellite Communications.

Rules issued by DOT states that the company with a license for satellite internet service will have to take security clearance for special gateways and hub locations in the country. Recently, Starlinks tied up with the country’s big telecom companies Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. Telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had said, “There are many remote areas in the country where fiber or mobile connectivity cannot be transported. If you do not have a satellite internet then how will you reach 100 percent coverage?” Along with this, he said that if natural disasters damage towers and fiber networks, then satellite connectivity is the only method.

Starlink has not received regulatory approval to start satellite internet service in India. Starlink is waiting for rules on spectrum pricing. However, obstacles for this company are removing. Recently, Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor to the interim government of Bangladesh, invited Musk to start Starlink’s service. India is the second largest market of internet in the world. The charge for mobile internet in the country is much cheaper than other countries. Scindia had said that only companies providing satellite internet service will decide pricing for this. DOT has not given a license to any foreign company for this service.