New Delhi, Sept. 8 -- The Digital Communications Commission has approved a spectrum usage charge of 5% of adjusted gross revenue for satellite internet providers including Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite, according to officials and industry executives familiar with the decision.

The commission, the Department of Telecommunications' top decision-making body, took the decision at a meeting last week, the people said. Operators serving users in government-notified hard-to-connect areas such as border regions, hills and islands will be eligible for a one percentage-point reduction, they said. Commercial launches will remain subject to security and other regulatory clearances.

Far-flung areas to be notified would include places w...