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TRAI paves way for phone-to-satellite calls in India

By Gagariya Editorial Desk•Published 6 Nov 2026 IST•4 min read•Reviewed by the Gagariya editorial team
TRAI paves way for phone-to-satellite calls in India
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On 5 November, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released recommendations for a new satellite communications framework that could one day let an ordinary phone connect directly to a satellite. The plan creates a 20-year authorisation for satellite network providers, with an 8% fee on adjusted gross revenue and a minimum spectrum charge of ₹3,500 per MHz per year.

The recommendations, titled "The Framework for Satellite Communication Network Provider Authorisation, and Assignment of Spectrum to Satellite Communication Network Providers", sit under Section 3(1)(b) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023. TRAI issued them at the request of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which asked in July 2025 for terms on satellite network authorisation.

Under the plan, an authorised satellite communication network (SCN) provider can supply network capacity to telecom operators as a service, called SCNaaS. It cannot sell telecom services directly to end users. The permitted services are Fixed Satellite Service (FSS), Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) and direct-to-device (D2D) services using MSS and International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum.

Spectrum for FSS and MSS can be assigned for up to five years, extendable by two years, in line with the National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP) 2025. An SCN provider can get spectrum directly from the government or use spectrum assigned to a partnering service provider.

Charge TRAI recommendation
Authorisation fee 8% of AGR, no minimum fee
Minimum spectrum charge ₹3,500/MHz per year (if administratively assigned)
Entry fee ₹37,50,000
Application processing fee ₹10,000
Minimum equity and net worth ₹60,00,000
Initial guarantee ₹45,00,000
Authorisation period Up to 20 years, renewable

What it could mean for your phone

D2D is the part that matters most to readers. It would let a phone connect to a satellite when no mobile tower is in reach: in remote villages, on highways, at sea, or after a disaster knocks out towers. But the route runs through telecom operators. Satellite firms supply the network, telcos sell the service.

The three companies waiting

Three companies are positioned to use the new route: Elon Musk's Starlink, Mukesh Ambani's Jio Satcom and Sunil Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb. All three already hold a Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) licence to provide satellite services in India. The new authorisation would be separate from those permissions, and it would not remove the existing route for licensed satellite providers to serve consumers.

Starlink's India launch has faced delays over regulatory hurdles and national security concerns. People familiar with the matter say Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio are likely to get the security nod before Starlink. That has not been confirmed, and it is an expectation, not a decision.

The money, worked out

The fee structure is built on AGR, the revenue base telecom regulation already uses. At 8%, a satellite network provider with ₹100 crore of adjusted gross revenue would pay ₹8 crore a year as authorisation fee. The spectrum floor is simpler: 10 MHz of spectrum would carry a minimum charge of ₹35,000 a year, and 100 MHz would carry ₹3,50,000. These are minimums, and TRAI's note says spectrum charges may vary between rural and urban areas.

For a small operator, the entry ticket is ₹37.5 lakh plus a ₹10,000 processing fee, ₹60 lakh of minimum equity and net worth, and a ₹45 lakh initial guarantee.

What is still not decided

Nothing here is final policy. TRAI recommends, the Department of Telecommunications decides. No date has been announced for a DoT decision, for spectrum assignment, or for the first commercial D2D service. Security clearances for the three companies are also pending. Consumer pricing is not part of these recommendations at all, so what a satellite call or message would cost a phone user is still unknown.

TRAI said the framework is meant to build a robust and competitive satellite ecosystem, use satellite infrastructure efficiently, and extend coverage, especially through D2D.

Timeline

  • July 2025: DoT asks TRAI for terms on SCN authorisation
  • 5 November 2026: TRAI releases its recommendations
  • Next: DoT decision, security clearances, spectrum assignment (no dates announced)

Glossary

  • SCN: Satellite Communication Network, the satellite system that carries the signal.
  • SCNaaS: Satellite Communication Network as a Service, selling that network capacity to telcos.
  • D2D: Direct-to-device, a phone connecting straight to a satellite.
  • AGR: Adjusted Gross Revenue, the revenue base on which telecom fees are charged.
  • GMPCS: Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite, the licence satcom firms already hold.
  • FSS / MSS: Fixed and Mobile Satellite Service, the two service types spectrum is assigned for.
  • IMT: International Mobile Telecommunications, the spectrum family mobile networks use.
  • NFAP: National Frequency Allocation Plan, the government's spectrum map.

What to watch

Three dates matter now, and none has been fixed: the DoT's decision on the recommendations, the security clearances for Starlink, Jio Satcom and Eutelsat OneWeb, and the first spectrum assignment under the new framework. If DoT accepts the recommendations, the next visible step will be telcos announcing D2D trials or partnerships, since satellite firms cannot sell directly to consumers.

Further reading

📷 Photo credit: T. Hansen/IAU OAE, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Questions people ask

Will my phone connect directly to a satellite now?
No. TRAI has only made recommendations, and the Department of Telecommunications must still accept them. Even then, satellite firms would supply capacity to your telecom operator, not sell you a service directly.
What is the new SCN provider authorisation?
A proposed 20-year authorisation, renewable, letting satellite companies supply network capacity to telecom operators as a service (SCNaaS). It covers fixed and mobile satellite services and direct-to-device services.
How much will satellite companies pay?
TRAI recommends an 8% fee on adjusted gross revenue with no minimum, a minimum spectrum charge of ₹3,500 per MHz per year, a ₹37.5 lakh entry fee, and a ₹10,000 processing fee.
When will Starlink launch in India?
No date has been announced. Starlink, Jio Satcom and Eutelsat OneWeb all hold GMPCS licences, but the new framework still needs DoT acceptance and the companies still need security clearances.
Will satellite internet replace mobile networks?
No. Under this framework satellite firms supply network capacity to telcos, and the existing route for licensed satellite providers to serve consumers stays in place. D2D is an addition for places towers cannot reach, not a replacement.

Editorial note: This story was researched from public sources and drafted with the help of AI tools. It was then read, checked against those sources and approved by the Gagariya editorial team before publication. How we work.

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