OneWeb India has received the necessary authorisations from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to launch Eutelsat OneWeb’s commercial satellite broadband services in the country. OneWeb India is the first organisation to be granted this authorisation. This authorisation means that Eutelsat OneWeb can launch commercial connectivity services as soon as spectrum allocation has been granted by the government.
Commenting on the development, Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman, Bharti Group, and vice-president (co-chair) of the board of directors, Eutelsat Group, 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 the 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.”
Meanwhile, Cyril Dujardin, co-general manager, connectivity, Eutelsat Group, said, “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 low earth orbit (LEO) constellation last year, we are perfectly placed to deliver this vital connectivity service to businesses across India.”
This authorisation adds to Eutelsat OneWeb’s existing strong position in the Indian market, where 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.
