Enjoy Jio, Airtel in air, water! Govt notifies rules for in-flight, maritime mobile phone services; Details here

Soon, travelers will be able to make calls and access internet through their phones during air travel and ship voyage within Indian territory. The government has notified rules for providing such services. Indian and foreign airlines and shipping companies operating in the country are now allowed to provide in-flight and maritime voice and data services in partnership with a valid Indian telecom licence holder.

This service will be provided only within India and also to those who flying over the Indian airspace. This decision of the government will solve connectivity woes for air passengers. In-flight Connectivity (IFC) will help the passengers do digital payment in the aircraft while on board. 

The department of telecom (DoT) notified in-flight connectivity rules this Friday. "These rules may be called the Flight and Maritime Connectivity Rules, 2018. They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette," the notification dated December 14 said.

IFC providers, who are interested to give onboard wifi facility for flights, have been invited. The internet service provider can apply for the same to DoT to get the licence.

This decision will not only benefit passengers but also big telecom players like Airtel and Jio who are learnt to be keen on entering this space. Spice Jet has already made a mind to Boeing 737 Max is equipped with SatCom and is just waiting for the approval of the regulatory body and government.

The in-flight and maritime connectivity (IFMC) can be provided using telecom networks on ground as well as using satellites. "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 notification said.

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Foreign airlines like Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates have onboard wifi facility but this is limited as they go off when their aircraft are in Indian airspace. 

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had issued its recommendations on IFC months ago and it took almost 11 months for DoT to notified the final rules.

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.
(With PTI inputs)