New Delhi, June 1 -- India's private telecom operators have alleged that the pricing for satellite spectrum recommended by the telecom regulator is non-transparent, unjustified, and does not lead to a level-playing field. The concerns were conveyed in a letter to the Centre from the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea.

The letter, a copy of which has been seen by Mint, also refers to the trillions of rupees pumped in by India's terrestrial internet operators in spectrum auctions over the years, and insists that satellite internet will compete with terrestrial services, rather than being complementary.

Further, the letter says that the objective of using satellite...