By following these steps, you can start a successful ISP business in India.

Market Research: Understand the demand for internet services in the area.

Business Plan: Develop a business plan that outlines your specific notion and pattern.

Legal Structure and Licensing: Obtain a license from the Department of Telecommunications.

Infrastructure: Establish a network infrastructure. You may need network equipment, servers, cables, and technical setup including routers, switches.

Connectivity: Secure bandwidth connectivity with other ISPs to ensure reliable internet access for your customers.

Customer Support: Establish customer support for responsive support to build customer trust.

Marketing and Promotion: Lastly, marketing and promotion to promote your ISP services and attract customers.

The process of establishing a local ISP in India involves several steps.

Licenses and permissions:  

• Register your business entity with the Registrar of Companies (ROC).
• Obtain necessary licenses and permissions from regulatory authorities.
• Fulfill other regulatory requirements.

Infrastructure Setup:  it is crucial to set up the necessary Network equipment, access to leased lines or fiber optic cables by interconnection agreements with other ISPs and telecom operators.

Connectivity and Bandwidth Procurement: Choose reliable bandwidth providers and Secure bandwidth connectivity that can be negotiable terms for bandwidth procurement.

Network Design and Deployment: Set up a network design based on the local requirements, coverage area, and expected user base. A network with a well-planned design will perform better, and will be more secure.

Implement security: Implement security measures, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and access controls, to protect the network from threats.

Customer Support and Service Quality: Establish customer support channels, such as helpline numbers, email, to assist customers with inquiries and technical issues.  And provide good quality customer service to ensure customer satisfaction.

Continuous Improvement: Check the network performance, customer feedback, and market trends to identify areas for improvement. Enhancements of work to stay in competition

In India, there are 3 categories of ISP license authorizations under the Unified License to become an internet service provider.

Class A (National Area): This license is for Pan India operations.

Class B (Telecom Circle/Metro Area): Class B license is issued for state level a total of 20 major states.

Class C (Secondary Switching Area):  This license is for only a particular secondary switching area. The government defined territory which could comprise of several small villages, towns or even districts.

Here’s an overview of the general guidelines for ISP license registration:

Eligibility Criteria: The applicant must see the eligibility criteria to apply for an ISP license, which may include financial stability, technical capability, and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Application Process: The applicant needs to submit an application to the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) along with the required documents, also include details such as the type of license groups (A, B and C), proposed service coverage area, technical infrastructure, business plan and technical capabilities to provide internet services.

Technical Requirements: Technical requirements related to network infrastructure, bandwidth connectivity, security measures, and quality of service standards.

Compliance with Regulations: The applicant must comply with all relevant regulations, guidelines.

Review and Approval: The application is reviewed by the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) and other relevant authorities. After review and approval, the ISP license is issued to the applicant.

Renewal: The ISP license is typically valid for a certain period, after which it needs to be renewed.

To apply for ISP License Registration in India, follow these steps:

 Ensure your eligibility for license.

• Obtain the application form.
• Prepare necessary documents: Company incorporation documents, Business plan, financial projections, Technical details of the proposed network infrastructure, and any other documents specified by the licensing authority.
• Pay the application fee
• Submit the application
• The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) will review your application and submitted documents.
• And last stage is Issuance of License. 

To establish an ISP, you typically need to obtain an Internet Service Provider License issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) through ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations governing the provision of internet services.

There category is divided over ISP license:

Category A (All India)- The Category A license allows the license to operate services across India, while the Category B (State-wise) license is limited to a specific state or Union Territory.

General overview of the process to get an ISP License in India:

Step 1- Register Company: applicant must register the company.

Step 2 – Category of ISP: choosing the correct category of ISP is an important step.

Step 3 – Conditions related to Budgeting and Financing: the applicant has to select the class based on budget requirement.

Step 4 – Fill in the application form: With the form, a non-refundable fee must be provided to the department.

Step 5 – Submission of Application: once the application is filled it will be submitted to the Department of Telecommunication.

Step 6 – Issue of Letter of Intent:  The DOT will issue a letter of intent for the applicant.

Step 7 – Agreements: After the letter there will be an agreement between the applicant and DOT.

Step 8 – Confirmation: If all the steps and procedures go successful then department will provide you the confirmation.

The following documents are required for ISP license:

• Company Incorporation document.
• Certificate of Incorporation.
• Memorandum of Association
• Articles of Association.
• Directors Details.
• Bank Guarantees.
• Financial Documents of company.

There are three types of categories under ISP license in India:

• Class A (National Area)- All India Level.
• Class B (Telecom Circle/Metro Area)- State Level.
• Class C (Secondary Switching Area) – District Level

The cost of starting an ISP (Internet Service Provider) business in India can depend on various factors such as the scale of operations, infrastructure requirements, geographic coverage area, and regulatory compliance expenses.

These cost components can be Licensing Fees, Infrastructure Setup, Connectivity Costs, Technical Setup and Configuration and more.

Uncertainly, depending on the scale and scope of the business, the initial investment required can range from Lakhs to crores of rupees.