Topics Covered:
- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Flight and Maritime Connectivity Rules, 2018
What to study?
- For Prelims: Overview of the guidelines.
- For Mains: Significance and the need for guidelines and the in- flight connectivity.
Context: The government recently notified Flight and Maritime Connectivity Rules, 2018 thereby allowing phone calls and internet on flights and ship voyage within India’s territory.
The guidelines:
Who can provide? The in-flight and maritime connectivity (IFMC) can be provided by a valid telecom licence holder in India through domestic and foreign satellites having the permission of the Department of Space.
In case of using satellite system for providing IFMC, the telegraph message shall be passed through the satellite gateway earth station located within India and such satellite gateway earth stations shall be interconnected with the NLD (national long distance) or access service or ISP licensee’s network for further delivery of service.
The IFMC services will be activated once the aircraft attains a minimum height of 3,000 metres in Indian airspace to avoid interference with terrestrial mobile networks.
The IFMC licences will be granted against an annual fee of Re 1 for a period of 10 years and the permit holder will have to pay licence fees and spectrum charges based on revenue earned from providing services.
Sources: the hindu.
