Satellite communications companies will now be able to operate in India at a lower cost. The TelecomCommission has decided to reduce the licence fee for these companies based onrecommendations from the Telecom regulatory Authority of India (Trai) and acommittee of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
Now, satellite communications companies, referred as VSAT operators, will have to pay Rs 10,000 as annual licence fee for each satellite or a hub, instead of Rs 16,000.
And, there would not be any minimum licence fee, which was Rs 16 lakh earlier. While Trai had recommended the licence fee at Rs 8,000 per annum per satellite, the empowered committee of the DoT had decided to keep it at Rs 10,000.
The Telecom Commission hastaken the decision realising the increasing need for satellite communicationsfor the security forces and disaster management. According to Trai data, thereare 11 VSAT service providers.
Telecom panel nod to reduce licence fee for VSAT operators | Business Standard