Civil Aviation MinisterSuresh Prabhuon Tuesday assured early "implementation" of the Telecom Commission's approval for offering in-flight connectivity within Indian airspace.
According to the minister, who also heads the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the government will now "work towards creating the license framework" for a special category of service providers called 'In-flight' connectivity provider.
Prabhupointed out that the approval will also allow airlines to provide "dramatic, yet cost effective, enhancements to the passenger experience".
Earlier in the day, the Telecom Commissionapproved in-flight connectivity for both Voice And Data Callsand date surfing in Indian airspace.
Telecom SecretaryAruna Sundararajantold reporters here: "Almost all recommendations by the Telecom Regulatory Authority Of India(TRAI) on this have been accepted. We are expediting the process (to start) and within 3-4 months it should be ready. We will be operationalising this decision immediately."
She said that there were only two exceptions to TRAI's recommendations. The sector regulator said that foreign satellites and foreign gateways should also be permitted, "but there had been an earlier committee of secretaries meeting that decided that it should be an Indian satellite or a Department Of Spaceapproved satellite and the gateway should be in India"
Sundararajan said: "We have to create a separate category of licencee, called In-Flight Connectivity Provider. This will also be applicable for ships. Re 1 will be the token licence fee. It is applicable above 3,000 metres."
She also said that the matter need not go to the Cabinet for approval.
In addition, keeping in view that grievance redressal in the telecom sector has been a long pending demand, the panel approved the proposal of forming A TelecomOmbudsman.
--IANS
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