After Amazon & Starlink, Apple Partner Globalstar To Now Apply For Satcom Licence In India

Globalstar, which offers emergency SOS services for Apple devices, is planning to apply for a licence to offer satellite communication (satcom) services in India.

“Globalstar is keen on establishing a wholly owned subsidiary in India for which we propose to apply for a GMPCS authorisation… We expect that no new or onerous requirements will be imposed upon (the) GMPCS authorised entity, as a result of introducing a new satellite earth station gateway license…,” said the company in a submission with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Filed on July 31, the submission came in response to a consultation paper floated by TRAI on the “framework for service authorisations to be granted under the Telecommunications Act, 2023”.

For the uninitiated, GMPCS is the acronym for global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) licence is the first step towards launching satcom services in India. 

Applicants also have to seek authorisation from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Indian National Space Promotion & Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) before commencing operations in the country. 

In its comments, Globalstar also said that it plans to establish a land earth station gateway(s) in the country. The satcom player also called India the “single largest market that Globalstar has been previously unable to enter”.

“India represents the single largest market that Globalstar has been previously unable to enter. It is Globalstar’s hope that this consultation results in the TRAI instituting regulatory reforms that ease its proposed entry in India,” added Globalstar in its submission. 

This is the first time that the company has publicly underscored its plans to enter India. Notably, in January this year, reports had surfaced that Globalstar approached the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to seek approval for providing its services in India.

The move is part of Globalstar’s “comprehensive global strategy to develop its direct presence and regulatory compliance in numerous countries around the world. In its comments, the company claimed that its low earth orbit (LEO) satellite system provides “near global coverage, including in India. 

At present, the satcom company operates a global network of 28 gateway earth stations spanning 18 countries and caters to 7.8 Lakh customers in over 120 countries worldwide.

With this, Globalstar has joined a growing list of global giants including Elon Musk-led Starlink and Amazon-backed Project Kuiper to seek authorisation to offer satellite communication services in the country. 

Not just global juggernauts, the space has also seen Indian conglomerates lining up to corner a pie of the emerging market. So far, only two entities, namely Bharti Group-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance-owned Orbit Connect India, have received the GMPCS licence and authorisation from IN-SPACe.

While the former is owned by Bharti Enterprises and French satellite operator Eutelsat, the latter is a joint venture between Jio Platforms and Luxembourg-based satcom firm SES. 

On the other hand, both Starlink and Kuiper are yet to get the GMPCS permits and landing rights approvals from IN-SPACe.

At the heart of this dogfight is the opportunity that the nascent satcom space offers, and could be key to delivering internet services to 1.2 Bn Indians by 2025-26.