India is set to have the second largest online user base after China as the number of Internet users in India is expected to reach 402 million by December. That’s a 49-per cent jump over the last year. Yet, India in 2014 ranked as low as 131 out of 189 countries on fixed broadband subscriptions, a drop from 125 a year ago. On active mobile broadband subscriptions, India ranked 155, a drop from 113 in 2013.

India’s fixed broadband penetration is only 1.2 per 100 inhabitants where the global average is 9.4 per 100. Speeds are also pathetically low. India’s broadband connectivity is primarily dependent on terrestrial technologies (a combination of wireless and wire-line broadband). Infrastructure using these technologies involves significant time and huge costs to build.

This dependency has been a major challenge to make ubiquitous broadband a reality.

According to Census 2011, 833.5 million people live in villages, against 377.1 million in urban India. Despite that, only 3.06 per cent of the rural population has access to broadband, whereas 19.55 per cent of the urban population enjoys broadband connectivity. Unfortunately, people in these underserved and un-served areas are being denied the benefits of broadband technology.

These are the people who are continually getting disadvantaged in respect of socio-economic inclusion due to widening broadband/ICT (information and communications technology) divide.

Mature technology Fortunately, satellite broadband has emerged as a viable alternative worldwide to deliver ubiquitous broadband. India is so vast and has so many remote and difficult-to-access parts that terrestrial networks will take inordinately long to build, and involve enormous costs to cover the entire sub-continent.

India does not have the time since it is seriously slipping behind its peers. In fact, nearly 25 per cent of the country may never be covered by these terrestrial options.

However, all is not lost. There is a messiah waiting to be invited — the readily available satellite technology. It has emerged as an excellent option to reach out to the far-flung areas.

For instance, the Colombian government through its ‘Vive Digital’ programme reached to nearly 43 million people who live in world’s most mountainous terrains. With the help of satellite technology, Colombia was able to provide internet access to Andean schools, businesses and individuals and maintain the universal broadband in Colombia.

Satellite technology can also help us overcome the limitations of terrestrial networks.

The National Optic Fibre Network mission has encountered repeated delays in achieving its targets and the cost of the project is reported to have escalated significantly. Not only do satellites provide high-speed broadband services, they are cost-effective, too.

In the recent years, various countries have launched high throughput satellites (HTS), which provide many times the throughput of a traditional geostationary communication satellites at a fractionally higher upfront cost. Virtually all countries have started Ka-band HTS, India is yet to open its doors for Ka-band.

Unfulfilled potential Currently, the Indian satellite network is dependent on Indian Space Research organisation (ISRO) for most of the satellite transponder requirements of the country and ISRO has strived to exploit the capabilities of satellite communication by pursuing important initiatives towards societal development.

However, ISRO and its commercial arm Antrix Corporation are currently playing the dual role of regulator as well as the service provider.

This is not only a challenging role for them but which could be significantly sub-optimal for realising the potential of the private sector. ISRO and Antrix have been acting as a ‘canalising’ agency for the private consumers such as DTH operators, VSAT operators, DSNG users who look to protect their interests. It is the general opinion of experts that the dual role is not only unfair to the PSUs but also seems to have hampered the introduction of private players into an area that desperately needs private participation.

Policy freeze In 2000, the government announced the SATCOM Policy, allowing private players to set up, operate and maintain satellites in India. Even after 15 years of this policy being in place, private players are yet to enter the market.

However, in order to realise the dream of Digital India, there is a need to implement the SATCOM policy guidelines and immediately allow private participation in the SATCOM industry.

With the current thrust to Bharat Net and Digital India, it is hoped the government will recognise the tremendous opportunities for collective and inclusive development through increased private sector participation in provision of satellites and satellite communication.

The writer is President of the Broadband India Forum. The views are personal

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