Mumbai, October 14: India’s leading telecommunication service provider, Reliance, reportedly argued that the telecom regulator had incorrectly concluded that home broadband should not be auctioned but allocated. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance company intensified the argument amid the face-off with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet company.
Reuters said in its report that Deloitte said that the methodology of distributing the spectrum in India was a major issue for many telecommunication companies. While many reports suggested that the Indian telecom market will grow significantly in the coming years, some setbacks are likely to slow down the process. 5G Technology To Inject Around USD 450 Billion Into Indian Economy by 2040, Bring Transformation to Country: Minister of Communication Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Asia’s richest person and owner of Reliance Jio reportedly argued the auction process and interpretation of Indian law that facilitated the allocations of spectrum like the tech billionaire Elon Musk wanted. Elon Musk’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kulper backed an administrative allocation, contrary to Mukesh Ambani’s telecom company.
The report said that Reliance Jio further argued that there were no provisions for satellite broadband services for individuals or home users. TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) reportedly plans to hold a public conversation, but Reliance Jio privately asked the authority in a letter on October 10.
Reuters said the Indian telecom giant asked to start fresh as the watchdog and ‘pre-emptively interpreted’ that the allocation was the way forward. Kapoor Singh Gulani, senior regulatory affairs official at Reliance Jio, wrote a letter to Minister of Communication Jyotiraditya Scindia. In this letter, he argued that TRAI concluded that the spectrum assessment should be administrative. He said that this was decided on no basis. India and United States Working Together To Expand Strategic Technology Partnership for AI, Smart Connected Cities: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh.
In response, a senior TRAI official asked Reliance Jio on October 13 to share feedback during the consultation period. Elon Musk planned to introduce Starlink satellite services in India; however, waiting for a final decision on the spectrum allocation issue. Starlink argued that the administrative allotment of licenses was according to the global trend, while Reliance Jio argued that auctions were needed for a level playing field as the companies could provide data and voice and compete with the traditional players.
(The above story first appeared on Fresh Headline on Oct 14, 2024 12:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website freshheadline.com).
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