Lok Sabha Question No. 854 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-07
Subject: Telecom Services in Flights
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: CH. MALLA REDDY, SURESH KODIKUNNIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 854 TO BE ANSWERED ON 7 TH  FEBRUARY, 2018

## TELECOM SERVICES IN FLIGHTS

854. SHRI CH. MALLA REDDY: SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of  India  (TRAI)  has  recommended introducing mobile  telephony  and  internet  services  for  passengers  during  air  travel  in the country's air space through satellite and terrestrial network;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government thereon;
- (c) whether the Government has recommended setting up of specific regulations in view of several instances of interference in communication between the air traffic control and pilot and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government has held any consultation with the Telecommunication Service Providers (TSPs) regarding the said matter and if so, the details thereof along with  the  details  of  assessment,  if  any,  made  pertaining  to  additional  expenses  and related matters?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a)  to  (d)  After  stakeholders'  consultation,  the  Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of  India (TRAI)  made  recommendations  on  'In-Flight  Connectivity'  as  issued  on  18 th   January, 2018  (Details  of  TRAI  Recommendation  as  in  the  Press  Release  dated  19.01.2018 attached  at Annexure  A). Government  is  examining  the  said  recommendations  of TRAI.

Contd……..2/-

## Annexure A

## Information note to the Press (Press Release No. 08/2018)

## For immediate release

## Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

## TRAI releases Recommendations on 'In-Flight Connectivity'

New  Delhi,  19 th   January  2018 -  The  Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of  India (TRAI) has on 18rh January 2018 issued its Recommendation on ' In-Flight Connectivity'.

2.  The  Department  of  Telecommunications  (DoT)  through  its  letter  dated  10 th August 2017 had communicated that there is a proposal to introduce In-Flight Connectivity(IFC) for voice data and video service over Indian airspace for domestic, international  and  overflying  night.  in  Indian  Air  Space.  DoT'  had  also  requested TRA.I to furnish its recommendations on licensing terms and conditions for provision of IFC for voice, data and video services and associated 1 sues such as entry fee, license fee  spectrum  related  issues  including  usage  charges  and  method  of  allocation  and other conditions.

3. In this regard, a Consultation Paper on 'In-Flight Connectivity' was released on 29 th   September  2017  seeking  comments  of  stakeholders.  An  OHD  on  the  issues concerned was held on 27 th November 20 l 7.

4. After analyzing the comments received from stake holders during the consultation and the open house discussions, TRAI has finalized its  recommendation on 'In-Flight Connectivity'. The highlights of the recommendation are as follows:

- a) Both,  internet  and  MCA  service  should  be  permitted  as  In-Flight  Connectivity (IFC) in the Indian airspace.
- b) The  operation  of  MCA  services  should  be  permitted  with  minimum  height restriction  of  3000  meters  in  Indian  airspace  for  its  compatibility  with  terrestrial mobile networks.
- c) Internet  Services  through  Wi-Fi  onboard  should  be  made  available  when electronic devices are permitted to use only in flight/airplane mode.
- d) A separate category of "IFC, service Provider "' should be created to permit IFC service  in  Indian  airspace.  The  IFC  service  provider  should  be  required  to  get itself registered with the DoT and it need not necessarily, be in Indian entity.
- e) The IFC service provider be permitted to provide IFC, services, after entering into an arrangement with Unified Licensee having appropriate authorization.
- f)  If  IFC  service  provider  partners  with  Unified  Licensee  having  Internet  service (Category  'A')  authorization  for  the  provision  of  Internet  services  onboard  as part of IFC, then (i)  If the licensee also has the Commercial VSAT CUG service authorization,  it  can  provide  the  satellite  links  also.  Alternatively  (ii)  Unified License  with  National  Long  Distance  (NLD)  service:  authorization  can  provide the satellite links.

- g) The  regulatory  requirements  schedule  be  same  for  both  Indian  registered and foreign registered airline s for offering IFC services in Indian airspace.
- h) The  deployment  of  a  gateway  in  India  provides  an  effective  mechanism  to lawfullv  intercept  and monitor the  in-cabin internet traffic while the aircraft is in Indian  airspace.  Therefore,  the  on  board  Internet  traffic  must  be  routed  to  a Satellite  Gateway  on  Indian  soil.  Such  an  obligation  should  be  imposed regardless of whether the satellite in question  is an Indian satellite System or not.
- i) The  IFC  service  provider  should  be  permitted  to  use  either  INSAT  systems (Indian  Satellite,  System  or  foreign  satellite  capacity  leased  through  DoS  or foreign satellites outside INSAT systems in the Indian airspace.
- j) To  promote  the  adoption  of  IFC  services  in  Indian  airspace,  the  IFC  service provider should be imposed a flat annual Licence Fee of token amount of Rs1. However, the same may be reviewed and amended at a later stage, if need be.
- k) Spectrum neutral approach should be adopted subject to the condition that the frequency bands have been harmonized and coordinated for their use at the ITU. It would facilitate the IFC services in all the bands L, Ku and Ka) in which IFC services are currently being provided.
- l) The  framework  recommended  for  IFC  services  in  Indian  airspace  should  be made 'applicable to all types of aircrafts such as commercial airlines. Business jets, executive aircrafts etc.

5. For any clarification/information, Shri S.T. Abbas, Advisor (Networks. Spectrum and Licensing) may b" contacted at Tel. No.+91-11-23210481 or e-mail advmn@trai.gov.in.

Sd/(S. K. Gupta) Secretary, TRAI

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