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DoS sells satellite idea to VSAT users

D.S. Madhumathi

BANGALORE, Nov. 26

THE Department of Space (DoS) is marketing the idea of investing in a communication satellite project as a group, to VSAT users and operators.

The proposal, feasible under the recent satcom policy, would free the service providers from tiresome telecom regulations when they hire transponder space on domestic satellites. In that case, BSNL would have a say on VSATs only at the entry level and fo r network licences.

ISRO was also talking to BSNL on the issue of transponder licences and was hopeful of some solution soon. Under the policy, though the VSATs sign a transponder lease agreement with ISRO's commercial arm, Antrix, licensing was still a telecom decision.

The idea, seemed to have caught on the interest of the

VSAT users, too. The proposal was being seriously considered, said Mr Sudipta Sen, President, VSAT Service Providers' Association.

VSPs formed a large chunk of public and private commercial satcom users. The 12 VSPs together had a user base of 10,000 - corporates, banks, financial services, stock exchanges, Internet services. Including users such as NIC and ERNET, they occupied 16 d omestic transponders in C and extended C modes. They took up eight of the 12 extended C bandwidth on the latest Insat 3B satellite.

With increased convergence, the Internet user boom and a greater shift towards satellite-based communication, the clamour for satellite space was also increasing.

The VSAT club, currently a loose structure, can cost about $25 million. If they come up with an initiative to part or wholly-fund a satellite, ISRO can easily custom-build and launch a comsat within two years, according to Dr R Ramani, Deputy Director, S atCom Programme Office, DoS.

Being the satellite operator, DoS would like to keep the Telecom Department out of decision-making on technical grounds.

According to Dr S Rangarajan, Director, SatCom, DoS, ISRO can take care of the bandwidth needs of the VSAT sector but only with some realistic projections and firm financial commitments.

Having entered the commercial era, it would help ISRO to know in advance what the industry would need, he said. Until recently, only public sectors as Doordarshan and DoT, were its sole clients.

The VSAT groups had also been told that if necessary, ISRO was not averse to hiring foreign transponders as an interim arrangement. It hired six Thaicom transponders to meet the crunch caused by the Insat 2D disaster two years ago.