The Centre on Wednesday said it will ensure a level-playing field for telecom service providers in spectrum assignment to satellite-based communications.

Minister of State for Communications, Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, said the Department of Telecom (DoT) has sought recommendations from TRAI on terms and conditions of satellite-based spectrum assignment.

"The DoT grants authorisations under Unified License for providing satellite-based commercial communication services. Satellite-based communication licenses are granted to any applicant, subject to acceptance and in compliance with the applicable licensing terms and conditions, including security conditions of India," he said.

The government has decided to allocate spectrum for satellite communication services through an administrative mechanism while telecom operators are required to purchase the radio waves through auction.

"DoT has sought recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on terms and conditions of spectrum assignment including spectrum pricing in respect of licensees intending to provide satellite-based communication services while accounting for level-playing field with terrestrial access services," Pemmasani said.

TRAI is in the process of finalising recommendations for the allocation of satellite spectrum.

In October, the government said spectrum for satellite broadband will not be auctioned but allocated administratively, after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk termed the auction route being sought in the country by top industrialists as "unprecedented".

During a press briefing at the 'India Mobile Congress 2024', Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the spectrum for satellite services will be allocated administratively.

"There is a paper that has already been circulated by TRAI and that regulatory authority of telecom has been empowered by the constitution to decide what administrative prices are going to be," he said.

"I am very confident that they will come up with the best prices that should be adopted, provided they are under administrative demand," the minister added.