Calls and Internet on Flights in India to be Allowed By October Says DoT
An official from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said that they are in the final stages of inflight connectivity licence norms.
New Delhi, August 23: India's telecom department is all set to allow net connectivity in flights by October this year, according to media reports. An official from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) was quoted saying by the Economic Times that they are in the final stages of inflight connectivity licence norms.
The official informed that the service option will be given to carriers and telecom companies within two months. DoT officials informed the paper that the guidelines have been drafted mostly based on the recommendations of telecom regulator TRAI. The further procedure involves the department clearing the plan and it would take another two weeks to obtain Law Ministry's approval.
Meetings with telecom operators and airlines have led to some parties showing interest in bidding for the services, mentioned the report. The official was quoted saying by the paper that once the licences are rolled out, the carriers and the telecom operators will compete for the services.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had earlier recommended that net connectivity and voice calling be made available in flights. Offering data connectivity within India's airspace would mean providing service at about 9,850 feet altitude, said the report.
But experts are of the view that it is still a long way to go for telecom companies in India, before they are ready for providing the service on-board.
In February, Bharti Airtel had announced that it has joined 'Seamless Alliance' to provide in-flight data connectivity to customers. The formation of the alliance was announced in Barcelona. The other founding members of the alliance are OneWeb, Airbus, Delta and Sprint.
“We are delighted to be a founding member of this innovative technology platform to bring seamless connectivity to customers in the true sense. Over 370 million mobile customers across Airtel’s global network will be able to enjoy uninterrupted access to high speed data services even while they are in-flight. We look forward to collaborating with all partner members to ensure this platform goes LIVE at the earliest,” said Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel, at the time of making the announcement.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 23, 2018 07:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).