Starlink boss Elon Musk said a move by India to auction satellite broadband spectrum, and not allocate it, would be "unprecedented", reacting to a Reuters story that rival billionaire Mukesh Ambani was lobbying for the auction route.
In what is seen as a battle between the two billionaires, Starlink argues administrative allotment of licences is in line with a global trend, while Ambani's Reliance says an auction is needed for a level playing field as foreign players could offer voice and data services and compete with traditional telecom players.
On Sunday, Reuters reported Ambani's Reliance has argued India's telecom regulator has incorrectly concluded that home satellite broadband spectrum should be allocated and not auctioned, without seeking industry feedback, and the consultation process must start afresh.
Reacting to the news, Musk wrote on X that any such decision to auction as Reliance is lobbying for "would be unprecedented."
"This spectrum was long designated by the ITU as shared spectrum for satellites," he wrote late on Monday on X, referring to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialised UN agency for digital technology.
India is a member of the ITU and signatory to its treaty that regulates satellite spectrum and advocates that allocation must be done "rationally, efficiently and economically" as it's a "limited natural resource".
Reliance did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. It has previously told Reuters it is "imperative" upon the Indian regulator to consult on the methodology of spectrum assignment.
The methodology of giving out spectrum for satellite services in India — a market set to grow 36 per cent a year to reach $1.9 billion by 2030 — has been a contentious issue since last year.
Musk's Starlink and global peers like Amazon's Project Kuiper back an administrative allocation, saying it is a natural resource that should be shared by companies. Ambani, Asia's wealthiest man, is arguing for an auction process.
Reliance's latest lobbying move in India has intensified a face-off with Musk who wants to launch Starlink services in India but has voted for the spectrum allocation route, in which the government simply assigns spectrum to the companies.
An Indian government source told Reuters on Sunday the regulator was following due process of consultation.
You may also like
India believes Canada doesn't take seriously violence or terrorism or incitement to hatred: Trudeau
Google & Amazon Join Microsoft As Tech Giants Focus On Nuclear Energy To Power Their AI Ambitions
"Big win for Indian narrative": Canadian journalist on Trudeau's statement on Nijjar killing
"Matter of great pride for Haryana": BJP leaders ahead of oath-taking ceremony of Nayab Saini as CM
Mumbai Customs Seize Gold Worth Rs 1.2 Crore, Two Arrested
UAE weather: Chance of rainfall today; temperatures to dip to 17°C in some areas
OVO: Slash your annual energy bills by £410 with home upgrade
Shooting Incident At RLD Leader's House In Noida, Suspect Detained
Why Are Bengaluru's Daytime Temperatures Matching Nighttime Coolness?
Chaos erupts in "Samvidhan Bachao Maharashtra Bachao" program as BJYM workers' protests
Meta lays off employees at WhatsApp and Instagram, the Verge reports
Plot to kill Salman Khan: Navi Mumbai police nab man from Haryana
Bahraich violence victim died of "excessive bleeding" due to pellet injuries: CMO Sanjay Kumar
Joe Root Hits New High, Joins Virat Kohli And Don Bradman In Elite List After Multan Masterclass
Blockbuster Combination Balakrishna And Boyapati Sreenu's Akhanda 2 Launched
Sharjah's 'viral' milk brand: Residents queue up from 6am as bottles get sold out within hours
BSNL, Viasat Claim Successful Trial Of Direct-To-Device Satellite Services For First Time In India
The beautiful little country with world's 'best beaches' that's 30C in November
GMB host Kate Garraway's struggle she lived with for 18 years left her 'super skinny'
IND vs NZ, Bengaluru Test Day 2 Live: Covers Off After Rain Washes Out Day 1, On Time Start Possible