New Delhi: OneWeb India, part of the Bharti Group and subsidiary of Eutelsat Group, has recieved approval from India’s space regulator IN-SPACe to commence Eutelsat OneWeb’s commercial satellite broadband services in the country.
OneWeb India is the first organisation to be granted this authorisation, and makes it the only satellite broadband services provider to get all required regulatory approvals prior to commercial launch.
Bharti Group chairman and vice-president (Co-Chair) of the board of directors of Eutelsat Group, Sunil Bharti Mittal, said, “We are pleased to note the Indian space regulator’s green light to launch Eutelsat OneWeb’s commerical 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 the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Digital India. Eutelsat OneWeb is ready to deploy as soon as it receives the final spectrum authorization to launch commercial services.”
Mittal had said last month that Eutelsat OneWeb would begin services in November, after the group set-up a satellite ground station in Mehsana, Gujarat for its satellite-driven internet services.
Today’s approval means Eutelsat OneWeb can launch commercial connectivity services as soon as spectrum allocation has been granted by the government. 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.
The commencement of commercial services awaits the government’s allocation of satellite spectrum, a decision that hinges on the telecom regulator’s recommendations regarding auctions.
Eutelsat OneWeb, known for its low earth orbit satellite operations, will fortify its presence in the Indian market with these approvals.
Cyril Dujardin, co-general manager of connectivity at Eutelsat Group, highlighted the collaborative effort needed to bridge global connectivity gaps, acknowledging the regulatory approval as a crucial step towards delivering high-speed internet services to remote areas of India. The company’s completed LEO constellation last year underpins its readiness to serve the Indian businesses with essential connectivity solutions.
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Updated: 21 Nov 2023, 06:24 PM IST