The satcom industry (satellite communications) is still fairly young and new compared to the terrestrial networks telecom industry. However, in a very brief period, the importance of global companies getting involved in the satcom sector has increased. Companies such as Starlink, OneWeb, and many more can now provide connectivity services even when the terrestrial networks infrastructure or power supply is damaged. During the ongoing war Russia-Ukraine conflict, such companies are providing valuable and accessible internet services.
Starlink, SpaceX owned low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband company, has started providing internet services in Ukraine. This solidifies and signifies the importance of Starlink terminals in Ukraine right now, where the terrestrial networks might be damaged. 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.