Eutelsat OneWeb’s Satellite Broadband Services Get the Green Light in India!
OneWeb India has received the coveted green light from India’s space regulator IN-SPACE to roll out Eutelsat OneWeb’s commercial satellite broadband services across India. This milestone marks the first mandate for such services in the country for the community, setting the stage for an ambitious leap forward in satellite-based connectivity.
Eutelsat OneWeb, a major player in low orbit and a subsidiary of Eutelsat Group, has received the necessary approvals to start commercial connectivity services based on the frequency allocated by the Government of India. This landmark approval highlights the immediate realization of India’s aspirations for universal internet accessibility and is in line with the vision of a digital India espoused by the Honorable Prime Minister.
Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Group and Vice-Chairman (Co-Chairman), Eutelsat Group, expressed his satisfaction with the regulatory approval, stating, “The Indian Space Authority’s approval of Eutelsat OneWeb’s launch of commercial satellite broadband services in India is an important step towards achieving India’s connectivity goals. This paves the way in line with the national vision of providing internet access to every citizen Eutelsat OneWeb is ready for deployment pending the final spectrum authorization.”
Cyril Dujardin, Head of Communications at Eutelsat Group, emphasized the importance of cooperation between companies, governments and regulators in bridging global connectivity gaps. Dujardin highlighted the approvals as a significant step forward in providing high-speed connections even in the most remote areas. With its LEO constellation completed last year, Eutelsat OneWeb is ready to provide vital connectivity services to businesses across India.
This approval reinforces Eutelsat OneWeb’s solid position in the Indian market and complements OneWeb India’s existing Ministry of Telecommunication licenses for satellite-based broadband services. In addition, the company has secured in-principle approval to set up and operate gateways in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, which will ensure seamless provision of high-speed and low-speed Internet connections once the services are rolled out.
Lt Gen AK Bhatt (Retd.), Director General, Indian Space Agency (ISpA) is also happy with this decision. He told ReturnByte, “With this move, OneWeb has become the first company to get this mandate. [However] As a next logical step, we are confident that the government will soon take a decision on satellite spectrum allocation to pave the way for the next generation of satellite communications in India.”