Austin, October 15: Reliance Jio reportedly challenged the TRAI's administrative allocations of the spectrum to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet company. Mukesh Ambani's telecom company argued that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India incorrectly concluded that the home broadband should not be auctioned but allocated. The company said auctions were needed for a level playing field as Starlink could provide data and voice and compete with traditional players.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded to this situation and said that it would be 'unprecedented' if India's TRAI auctioned satellite broadband spectrum and did not allocate it. Elon Musk said that the spectrum was "long designated by the ITU as shared spectrum for satellites." Since Jio has around 481 million subscribers in India and a 40% market share, it said TRAI that an auction was needed for foreign players. Reliance Jio vs Starlink: Mukesh Ambani’s Telecom Firm Argues With TRAI Over Spectrum’s Administrative Allocation As Elon Musk’s Firm Plans for Entry in India.

Elon Musk's Response to Reliance Jio Challenging TRAI on Administrative Spectrum Allocation

According to a report by the Deccan Herald, contradicting Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio's request, Starlink argued that the spectrum was allocated administratively according to the global trend. Reliance Jio reportedly asked TRAI to allocate the spectrum rather than auction it without asking for feedback from the industry. The Indian telecom giant said that the consultation processor must start afresh.

On the other hand, Elon Musk said that the International Telecommunication Authority (ITU), a digital technology agency of the UN, designated the spectrum for satellites. India is also a member of ITU, which signed a treaty for rational, efficient, and economical spectrum allocation due having 'limited natural resources'. JioBharat V3, JioBharat V4 Launched at India Mobile Congress 2024 Event; Check Price and Other Details of Affordable 4G Phone From Reliance Jio.

The Indian telecommunication market is projected to reach USD 1.9 billion with 36% growth per year. The report said that Elon Musk's Starlink and global peers like Amazon's Project Kuiper said that companies should share natural resources, while Mukesh Ambani's Jio had been arguing for an auction process. 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 15, 2024 04:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).