India's ambition to bring direct-to-device satellite connectivity to mainstream smartphones has run into an early and significant complication. Apple and Google, the two companies that between them design the operating systems running on virtually every smartphone in the country, have flagged a series of technical and regulatory concerns with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) over India's proposed direct-to-device (D2D) framework, the Economic Times has reported.
The pushback doesn't kill the plan, but it does signal that the road to satellite connectivity on Indian phones is longer and more complex than the government may have anticipated.
What Is direct-to-device and why does it matter?
D2D technology allows a smartphone to connect directly to a satellite in low-earth orbit, bypassing mobile towers entirely. The implications for India are significant. In remote regions, hilly belts, border locations, and sea routes, D2D can provide backup communication support where towers are difficult or impossible to deploy. During floods, earthquakes, cyclones, or landslides, when terrestrial networks may fail, D2D can provide emergency continuity.
India has not yet reached mass commercial D2D rollout for everyday users, but 2026 has seen important policy movement, with TRAI releasing a major consultation paper on satellite communication network authorisation and spectrum assignment on 8 April 2026.
Apple's concerns: Don't burden existing devices
According to the Economic Times, Apple has cautioned the DoT against requiring major hardware changes or fresh certifications for smartphones to support D2D connectivity. The company stressed that existing terrestrial mobile networks must be protected as the ecosystem evolves, and flagged cross-border regulatory complications in regions where satellite services are not yet authorised.
Apple, along with most major players in the industry, thinks India should wait on launching D2D until the global technology landscape is more settled. The International Telecommunication Union is set to decide which spectrum bands to use at a conference in late 2027 , a timeline that suggests any Indian framework finalised before then risks being misaligned with global standards.
Google's concerns: The hardware is not ready
Google's objections are more technical in nature. The company has pointed to battery drain issues, antenna size constraints in compact devices, weak signal strength, and the complexity of integrating satellite systems with existing 4G and 5G networks. Some devices, Google noted, may require hardware-level modifications, making a large-scale rollout challenging at this stage.
The two companies have asked for greater clarity on how satellite messaging and emergency communication features will operate under India's rules, a request that could slow the rollout of a technology many see as transformational for rural and disaster-prone parts of the country.
India currently does not have a defined regulatory structure for satellite-to-phone connectivity. The DoT is deliberating on suitable spectrum bands and policy architecture, and TRAI is likely to be consulted for pricing and operational norms before any approval is finalised.
Countries like the US and Canada are already experimenting with D2D services, including Starlink's partnership with T-Mobile, but India's dense mobile market and the government's emphasis on protecting existing telecom operators adds layers of complexity that do not exist elsewhere.
