Tata Communications, internet and data services company, has sought financial assistance from the Centre to upgrade the satellite gateway built for offering Inmarsat services.

The satellite gateway – technically called Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) – is more than 20 years old and the new equipment for the gateway would require about ₹18-20 crore.

The company has said it would continue to support the gateway with its “lame equipment” till December 30, 2016, but without any service level agreement.

Further, the Tata Group company has also sought approvals to tie up with a foreign Land Earth Station (LES) to support GMDSS services for Indian ships and maritime customers, according to a recent letter written to the Department of Telecommunications. In the letter, seen by BusinessLine , the company has sought financial assistance on the same lines extended to state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) for upgrading the GMDSS gateway.

Safety procedures GMDSS is an internationally agreed-upon set of safety procedures, equipment and communication protocols to increase safety and rescue distressed ships, boats and aircraft.

In India, the services are provided by British satellite telecommunications company INMARSAT, while the gateway is provided by Tata Communications. As of 2014, about 1,532 satellite phones and 4,143 maritime satellite radios are authorised in India.

Indian government holds a 26 per cent stake in Tata Communications, formerly Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL), and company operates its GMDSS gateway in Pune. A fall in quality of GMDSS services can cause huge security and safety implications in case of an eventuality in Indian Ocean region, especially in Indian territorial waters. This can have a security and safety impact on sea faring community including the government agencies such as the Navy and Coast Guard, it added.

Further, the upgradation is necessary for “the continuity of service in the future,” the letter said, adding that the gateway had long reached the end of its life. Also, the spares supplier had earlier warned that the INMARSAT gateway and equipment, which is more than 20 years old, had to be replaced.

Meanwhile, BSNL has got into a separate agreement with INMARSAT for offering satellite-based communication services in the country. BSNL will build its own gateway while INMARSAT will offer the service.

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