Starlink, telcos spar over satellite spectrum pricing
Elon Musk's Starlink has hit back against Indian telecom operators' demand that only auctioned satellite spectrum should be used to service urban or retail consumers, terming it «self-serving at the cost of underserved users».
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The US-based company has called out the telcos, particularly Bharti Airtel, for seeking reasonable spectrum pricing for their own satellite systems but artificially-high and anti-competitive rates for others.
The telcos, however, have reiterated that spectrum should be given at market rates, the way spectrum for terrestrial telecom services is allocated, as big satcom players like Starlink and Amazon have a clear strategy to launch broadband-from-space services in urban areas and compete with India's operators.
They have said that the narrative of connecting the underserved is a «fallacy» and is being used by global satcom players to seek relaxations in spectrum assignment methodology, pricing and related norms.
These comments are part of the consultation process initiated by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) on allocation of satellite spectrum and what should be the pricing and terms and conditions for it. Indian Space Association (ISpA), too, has called on Trai to check the big players from resorting to predatory pricing. Further, smaller satellite players like Viasat have opposed Starlink and Amazon, regarding ITU
