The DOT has, by way of Notification no. 20-271/2010 AS-I(Vol.-III) dated May 06, 2022, amended the terms and conditions of the unified licence agreement (‘UL Agreement’) for satellite-based connectivity for low bit rate application. Some of the key changes to the existing framework introduced by the DOT include, inter alia: (i) permitting licensee to provide connectivity to the service providers who have obtained registration for M2M service; (ii) prescribing additional compliance requirement in relation to the required space segment to be obtained by the licensee from Department of Space (‘DOS’) or space segment provider duly authorised by the DOS on terms and conditions as specified by DOS or space segment provider; (iii) amending the licensee requirement for making arrangements for making simultaneous calls for both data and speech; and (iv) removing the restrictions relating to auto tracking facility to access satellites in INSAT Geo stationary arc from hub stations.

The amendment has also introduced few additions to the existing framework which include, inter alia: (i) permitting VSAT licensee to use VSAT terminal for aggregating traffic from M2M/ IoT Devices/ aggregator devices; (ii) permitting VSAT licensee to use VSAT to provide backhaul connectivity to service providers having license/authorisations/registration for M2M services, and (iii) permitting user terminal stations on moving platform for provisioning of connectivity subject to compliance of the relevant TEC standards and conditions.