Good news coming up for travelers as the Flight and Maritime rule brings changes in favour of the travellers.In the coming days travelers don’t need to put the cell phones on aeroplane mode amid air travel or ship voyages. Passengers will shortly be accessed with internet service while being in mid air. The government has announced it to implement within the Indian territory.
In association with any authentic Indian telecom licence holder, Indian or foreign airlines and shipping companies functioning in the country can provided data services, on board, to their customers. The services can be provided by an authentic telecom licence holder in India through domestic and foreign satellites having permission of the Department of Space.
As per the notice dated December 14, “These guidelines might be known as the Flight and Maritime Connectivity Rules, 2018. They will come into power on the very date of their distribution in the Official Gazette.”
The on board connectivity i.e. the in-flight and maritime connectivity (IFMC) can be availed by using telecom networks on ground and also from satellites.
“While 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.
In order to avoid interference with terrestrial mobile networks, the IFMC services will be activated only after the aircraft attains a minimum height of 3,000 metres in Indian airspace.
At the annual fee of Re 1 for a period of 10 years, the IFMC licences will be issued and the permit holder will have to pay licence fees and spectrum charges depending on revenue earned from providing services.
