NEW DELHI: Companies wanting to provide satellite radio service in India and setting up network and infrastructure will be eligible to get permission subject to certain conditions.
The draft Satellite Radio Policy Guidelines based on the recommendations made by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) also provide for permitting companies to seek registration of radio channels to be carried on such service Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting C M Jatua told Parliament on Tuesday that the draft policy provides for eligibility conditions, license fee, foreign investment norms and other regulatory provisions.
The Ministry had in June 2008 accepted the final recommendations by Trai, with some modifications. The telecom regulator had recommended a draft policy that permits a satellite radio service provider to hold the permission of satellite radio channels Among the various recommendations submitted by Trai, the Ministry has also accepted the government’s proposal in the draft policy on restrictions on news and advertisements in satellite radio service Satellite radio service refers to distribution of single or multi channel radio programmes by using a satellite system which provides encrypted digital radio signals direct to the subscribers’ receiver sets.
The sector regulator had recommended a 74 per cent FDI on satellite radio. Currently, satellite radio operator Worldspace has a 100 per cent foreign holding.