Satellite Communication Services

• Satellite Communication (Satcom) Services in India refer to voice/data/broadband services delivered via Geostationary (GSO) or Non-Geostationary (NGSO) satellite constellations, regulated by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Unified Licence (UL) regime.
• Key service type in the news: GMPCS (Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite) — direct satellite-to-handset/terminal voice & data.
• Important for UPSC because of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 shifting satellite spectrum to administrative allocation (not auction), and the entry of LEO players (Starlink, OneWeb, Kuiper) into India.