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Ambani's Reliance lobbies for India satellite spectrum auction in new clash with Musk's Starlink

Mukesh Ambani's Reliance pushed India's telecom watchdog on Friday to reevaluate its strategy not to auction satellite spectrum but to simply allocate it, in a fresh clash with Elon Musk's Starlink.

India's telecoms Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia last month said the government would allocate spectrum administratively in line with worldwide patterns however a final notification on how spectrum is given out will follow the telecom watchdog TRAI provides its feedback.

Musk's Starlink has revealed interest in introducing in India following an effective launch in Africa which left local gamers bruised by low broadband costs and favours the government's. approach to assigning spectrum.

Ravi Gandhi, a top Dependence policy executive, urged the. telecom regulator TRAI on Friday, however, to evaluate the. decision, keeping in mind in an open home conversation hosted by TRAI that. the transfer to designate spectrum administratively is the most. inequitable approach of appointing any type of government. resource.

Starlink India executive Parnil Urdhwareshe on the other. hand stated India's allocation plan was forward-looking.

Billionaire Ambani runs India's biggest telecom business,. Reliance Jio. Analysts state a spectrum auction, needing much. more financial investment, would likely hinder foreign rivals.

The TRAI's suggestions, which will be formed over coming. weeks, will be critical in deciding the future course of how. satellite spectrum is administered.

Dependence, which has controlled India's telecom sector for. years, is concerned that after investing $19 billion in airwave. auctions it risks losing broadband customers to Musk, and. potentially even data and voice clients later on as innovation. advances, Reuters formerly reported.

The methodology of offering spectrum for satellite. services in India has actually been a topic of contention in between the. billionaires.

Musk's Starlink, an unit of SpaceX, has 6,400 active. satellites orbiting earth to offer low-latency broadband to 4. million clients.

Ambani once offered data totally free on his mobile strategies, however Musk. is no stranger to such tactics.

In Kenya, Musk priced Starlink at $10 monthly, versus $120. in United States, with rental strategies offered for higher. hardware expense. Kenya's Safaricom in July complained to regional. regulators, requiring players like Starlink to be needed to. partner with mobile networks, and not operate independently.

(source: Reuters)