OneWeb inks deals – but launch date is pushed back
Low Earth Orbit satellite OneWeb operator has signed a number of contracts with new customers but it seems its launch date will be delayed again.
Australian telco Vocus and UK-based Excelerate Technology Group are set to become OneWeb customers, and OneWeb also signed new distribution deals with Bharti Airtel, one of its investors. The distribution deal is with a Bharti joint venture, Hughes Communications India Private, which is said to be the largest satellite provider in India.
Despite the deals, it seems that the commercial launch of OneWeb’s service has been pushed back again. Originally slated for October 2021 before moving back to the end of 2021, the launch date remains unconfirmed and it looks like it will be a couple of months before the service goes live. On a more positive note, media reports say that BT and other wholesale partners will start testing services this month.
Low Earth Orbit satellites are seen as a key component of edge infrastructure, providing high capacity broadband to inaccessible regions. OneWeb is one of the more prominent operators in this new market with 394 satellites and a target of 648.
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Article Topics
Bharti Airtel | broadband | LEO | OneWeb | satellite | Vocus
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