Jio Satellite Communications and Bharti Group-backed OneWeb have been granted internet service provider licenses by the Department of Telecom. About a year ago, both companies were granted permission to provide the satellite communication services.

 

"The companies were issued an ISP (Internet Service Provider) licence recently. They can provide internet services connecting satellite service with terrestrial networks or through VSAT to end customers," an official said.

 

Jio Satellite Communications and OneWeb will need access to spectrum to provide services directly on the consumer terminal on which the decision is still pending. Satellite companies have been demanding allocation of the spectrum without auction, while Jio and Vodafone Idea have been pushing for spectrum allocation only through auction, as per economic times.

 

While OneWeb has its own constellation of GEO (geostationary) and LEO (low earth orbit) satellites, Jio has teamed with Luxembourg SES Satellites, which has a constellation that includes both GEO and MEO (medium earth orbit) satellites.

 

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Airtel, stated during the India Mobile Congress last month that the OneWeb Satellite communication service will be available to connect all portions of the country by the end of the month.

 

During the event, Reliance Jio showed a satellite-based mega fiber service to bring the high-speed internet services to hitherto inaccessible areas in the country, claiming that the service will be available across the country at extremely low prices.