India is emerging as an important market for the satellite economy, where demand for rural broadband will increase. GSOA Director General Isabel Mauro said the sector’s development requires structural forecasts and separate regulations from terrestrial telecoms.
Sriharikota [आंध्र प्रदेश] (India), July 23 (ANI): India is set to emerge as an important market for the satellite economy, with broadband connectivity in rural areas expected to drive demand. However, structural predictability will be essential to unlock the full potential of this sector. This was said by Isabel Mauro, Director General of the Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA). Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of Skyroot Aerospace’s ‘Mission Arrival’ orbital launch, he said India is one of the fastest growing markets in the world and its space sector is also on the same growth path that the country had previously seen in the traditional telecom ecosystem.
Mauro said India’s vast geography and large number of rural areas make satellite and space technologies important for expanding connectivity. “There are a lot of rural areas where it’s not economically viable to deliver terrestrial networks… I think satellite and space are going to be absolutely critical.”
He further said that satellite broadband can play a particularly important role in connecting large parts of the country that are still deprived of the existing terrestrial network. “There’s still a huge amount of land mass in this country that needs to be covered, and that will be done by satellite. So, certainly, the broadband market is going to be important,” he said.
Future-proof rules needed for satellite ecosystem
However, he stressed that India will need structural forecasting to accelerate the development of its satellite communication ecosystem. In their recommendations to the government, they called for a future-proof regulatory framework that takes into account the long investment cycle and operational lifetime of satellites, especially in areas such as licensing.
“We need structural forecasting,” he stressed. “We really need to look at frameworks that are future-proof, looking at what is needed now but also what will be needed five years from now, so that we also have the flexibility to adapt,” he added.
Terrestrial and satellite rules should be different
Mauro also warned against applying the regulatory framework designed for terrestrial telecoms networks directly to satellite services, noting that the two sectors have different technologies, infrastructure and business models. “We need to move away from regulatory parity with terrestrial… the two technologies are very different, the infrastructure, the technology, the business model is different,” he said.
He further recommended cost-recovery economic models that are designed to support the development of the sector rather than focusing solely on revenue generation. “We need to think about models that are fit for purpose, but which are not just about generating revenue at all costs, as this would have a huge impact on the opportunities offered to consumers and could defeat the purpose of providing broadband to all through satellite,” he said.
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