New Delhi, Sept. 30 -- Satellite communication service providers such as Hughes, OneWeb, Nelco and Viasat have urged the central government to recognise them as a separate sector, seeking lower entry fees and simpler rules to boost growth and attract investment.

They have raised objections to the recently-released draft Telecom Authorisation Rules 2025, issued as part of the Telecommunications Act 2023, saying the rules treat satellite services as just another technology rather than a full-fledged service, and have demanded a dedicated permit for them.

In a letter to Union communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia dated 29 September, the Broadband India Forum (BIF), which represents such satellite and technology companies, also expre...