The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Friday (January 19, 2018) announced that internet services like Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity should be allowed on domestic and international flights which are in the Indian airspace.
The operation of Mobile Communication on Aircraft (MCA) services has a minimum height restriction and IFC will be allowed when an aircraft is flying above an altitude of 3,000 metres in Indian airspace to ensure its compatibility with terrestrial mobile networks.
This In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) is a huge step by TRAI and is likely to boost revenue for the service providers and also for the airlines. However, no Indian airline has so far announced if and by when the in-flight connectivity will be offered.
“We have allowed both mobile communication on aircraft (MCA) and onboard internet as IFC in Indian airspace. Now it is up to airlines which one of these to offer,” said an official from TRAI.
TRAI Recommendation: A separate category of IFC service provider will be required to get itself registered with the department of telecom and it need not necessarily be an Indian entity.
TRAI has also made it clear that the regulatory requirements could be the same for Indian as well as the foreign airlines for offering IFC services in Indian airspace. Airlines were divided over implementing the in-flight connectivity last year. Here are some of the statements made in 2016
“Once the policy is out, we will have a better understanding of the processes involved,” said Vistara Chief Executive.
“In a budget airline environment, how this extra cost will affect ticket price is an aspect that needs to be looked into. This is a good initiative by the government but from the industry’s point of view, it is distant reality,” said a SpiceJet spokesperson.
“If you ask me, I don’t think it will be sensible for an airline to invest in such facilities on routes of two-and-a-half hour duration,” said an IndiGo executive.
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