Satellite spectrum may become bottleneck as AI drives higher video quality, warns TRAI chief

New Delhi: Satellite spectrum could emerge as a key bottleneck for content delivery as artificial intelligence tools accelerate the production of higher-quality, bandwidth-heavy video, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti cautioned on Tuesday.

Addressing industry stakeholders at the BES Expo, Lahoti flagged that rapid advances in AI-assisted content creation are increasing output quality and data loads, which in turn could strain satellite delivery capacity if distribution models do not diversify.

“While AI can help generate very high-quality video content, satellite spectrum may become a constraint in delivering that content. Ground-based broadcasting can significantly address this problem and help take high-quality content to consumers,” he noted.

His remarks place distribution infrastructure at the centre of the next phase of broadcast growth, as AI, cloud systems, and data technologies reshape how content is produced and consumed.

Lahoti observed that digital technologies. including artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and cloud-based systems, are redefining the broadcasting sector end to end. 

He outlined that broadcasting intelligence is already being applied across the value chain, including real-time audience behaviour analysis, AI-assisted content creation and automated editing, real-time language translation and subtitling, personalised recommendations, misinformation detection, network optimisation, and secure transmission.

Against this backdrop, TRAI has moved to create regulatory pathways that reduce dependence on a single delivery medium. The authority has already submitted recommendations to the government for a regulatory framework on ground-based broadcasting (GBB), which expands how television channels can be distributed.

“During 2025, TRAI gave recommendations to the government on a regulatory framework for ground-based broadcasting (GBB). These recommendations enable broadcasters to deliver television channels terrestrially using wireline, wireless, internet, or cloud-based systems, in addition to traditional satellite delivery,” Lahoti stated.

He explained that the proposed framework allows operational flexibility between terrestrial and satellite systems, enabling each to complement the other depending on capacity and use case.

“The framework also proposes flexibility whereby a ground-based broadcaster can use satellite transmission in addition to terrestrial delivery, and satellite-based broadcasters can also use terrestrial systems,” he added.

According to Lahoti, ground-based broadcasting becomes particularly relevant where satellite spectrum bandwidth is limited. He described it as cost-effective for local broadcasting needs and useful for expanding access to local content.

He further indicated that regulatory reforms are being designed with a technology-neutral and ease-of-doing-business approach. TRAI has recommended a new service authorisation framework for broadcasting services aligned with the Telecommunications Act 2023, aimed at creating a simplified and forward-looking regulatory regime.

On the regulatory pipeline, Lahoti also pointed out that TRAI will continue reviewing broadcasting regulations and launch consultations on emerging segments such as FAST services as part of adapting rules to a converged broadcasting environment.

“The future of broadcasting will depend on collaboration between industry stakeholders, policymakers, and technology providers,” Lahoti said, stressing that infrastructure readiness and regulatory flexibility will be critical as AI-led content volumes and quality continue to rise.