OneWeb seeks June launch in India
March 18, 2024
By Chris Forrester
Despite some powerful local support from the likes of a main shareholder (Bharti), Eutelsat OneWeb is still not permitted to operate in India. That might now change with a formal request by OneWeb to India’s Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing (WPC) of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for spectrum allocation.
Once the spectrum is allocated, the company can begin its commercial services in India. Local report quote Bharti saying that OneWeb has been granted a 90-day demo period, and that OneWeb is extremely optimistic about its commercial prospects.
OneWeb says it is hoping to launch its commercial services in India by June. OneWeb has already signed a six-year distribution partner agreement with Hughes Communications India (HCIPL), a joint venture between Bharti Group and satellite services company Hughes, to provide Low Earth Orbit (LEO) connectivity services across India.
“OneWeb will have an early-mover advantage in India, as competitors who are in the fray to provide satellite communications service in India are either in the development stage or lag behind in data link speed. OneWeb has submitted an application to the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing (WPC) of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for spectrum allocation. Once Spectrum is allocated, OneWeb can launch the commercial services,” said HCIPL, President and Managing Director, Shivaji Chatterjee in an interview with the Press Trust of India.
Its main rival is Starlink which has also applied for permissions to operate.