Speaking at a day-long seminar on `Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellites' here during the weekend, he said every country needed a space segment licence as a regulatory measure. With the introduction of GMPCS, the issue of security would have to be closely examined, he said, adding there were also genuine fears like losing revenue from international bypass and effects on existing users of radiospectrum once the gmpcs came into force.

VSNL already had seven per cent share in the ICO global communications which in turn was getting ready to operate gmpcs through 10-plus-two medium earth orbit satellite by 2000. One of the major players in GMPCS-Iridium with 66 lower earth orbit satellites was the first one to obtain licence from the government.

AP Chaudheri, wireless advisor, ministry ofcommunications, spoke on the risk factors involved in setting up global mobile satellite communications, which included the issue of launch failures and regulatory issues. Chaudheri said there was a high risk in setting up global mobile satellite communication systems and that in a single country such as india not more than two or three global systems were likely to be funded. The mobile satellite companies questioned about the need of having to pay a licence fee to the government.