TRAI recommends administrative allocation of spectrum for satellite internet providers; no auctions, 4% AGR fee

In a move set to accelerate the rollout of satellite-based internet services in India, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended that spectrum for such services be allocated administratively — without auctions — to global players like Starlink, OneWeb, and domestic firms such as Reliance Jio.

Under the new framework, spectrum will be assigned for an initial period of five years, extendable by another two years. Companies will not be required to pay any upfront charges for acquiring spectrum. Instead, they will pay 4% of…