Eutelsat OneWeb claims Indian ‘first’
November 22, 2023
By Chris Forrester
Eutelsat OneWeb claims it is the “first to receive approval” from Indian space regulator for satellite broadband over the nation. But spectrum allocation has yet to be granted.
OneWeb India says it has received the necessary authorisations from IN-SPACe on November 21st to launch Eutelsat OneWeb’s commercial satellite broadband services in India.
Other operators are in the regulatory pipeline and awaiting approvals including the Jio/SES joint-venture and Starlink.
OneWeb India plans on building two ground Teleport gateways, in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, for Indian services.
IN-SPACe is the agency of the Government of India, responsible for regulating space activities and granting authorisation for conducting the space activities in the country. This authorisation means Eutelsat OneWeb can launch commercial connectivity services as soon as spectrum allocation has been granted by the Government.
OneWeb India already holds the necessary licences from the Department of Telecommunications to provide broadband services using satellite connectivity. The business has also obtained in principle approval to establish and operate two gateways in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, which would secure the provision of vital high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity to customers across India, once services are rolled out.
Bharti Group Chair and VP/Eutelsat Group, Sunil Bharti Mittal, said: “We are pleased to note the Indian space regulator’s green light to launch Eutelsat OneWeb’s commercial satellite broadband services in India. This will be a critical step forward to meet India’s ambition of providing internet connectivity for all and will enable [India’s] Prime Minister’s vision of Digital India. Eutelsat OneWeb is ready to deploy as soon as it receives the final spectrum authorisation to launch commercial services.”
Cyril Dujardin, Co-GM/Connectivity at Eutelsat Group, added: “Bridging the connectivity gap around the world requires collaboration across business but also with governments and regulators. We are pleased to have received these approvals from the space regulator that bring the country a significant step closer to providing high speed connectivity to even the most remote locations. Having completed our LEO constellation last year, we are perfectly placed to deliver this vital connectivity service to businesses across India.”