Eutelsat OneWeb (formerly OneWeb) is a satellite communications company aiming to bridge the digital divide by providing high-speed, low-latency broadband internet services globally via a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. As a subsidiary of Eutelsat Group, it focuses on delivering connectivity solutions to governments, enterprises, and communities in underserved areas, as well as to the maritime and aviation sectors. Key partners include distribution partners, Airbus (through OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture for satellite manufacturing), and technology providers like Microsoft Azure and AWS for network peering.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Bharti provided $500,000,000 to OneWeb as part of support for the company.
OneWeb received $500,000,000 in funding from the United Kingdom government.
OneWeb needs to raise $2,500,000,000 to complete the constellation.
OneWeb plans to achieve full global coverage in May or June 2022.
OneWeb plans launches roughly once a month after 2020-12-18 until the constellation is completed.
Sunil Bharti Mittal estimated the cost to get OneWeb’s initial constellation into orbit and establish supporting infrastructure at between $5,500,000,000 and $7,000,000,000.
Bharti Enterprises and the U.K. government joined forces to acquire OneWeb out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
OneWeb’s Gen 1 satellites, which are being launched in the coming months, will have timing capability built into them.
OneWeb cites latency of 560 milliseconds for geostationary (GEO) satellites and just under 300 milliseconds for medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites.
OneWeb is restarting production and awaiting a 36-satellite launch in December.
The top five contenders in the non-GEO satellite market are SpaceX (Starlink), OneWeb, SES (mPower), Amazon (Kuiper), and Telesat.
OneWeb plans to start offering broadband services by May or June 2022 with an initial focus on remote and unconnected parts of India.
The next batch of OneWeb satellites is scheduled to launch in mid-December and will take the number of OneWeb satellites in orbit to more than 100.
Bharti has not yet decided whether to launch a OneWeb service directly to users or to use commercial partners, with options that could include creating a joint venture.
OneWeb emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy prior to the planned 2020-12-17 Soyuz launch from Vostochny.
Two additional Soyuz launches were planned before the end of 2020: Flight ST29 from Vostochny for OneWeb and Flight VS25 from the Guiana Space Center.
Arianespace will launch a set of OneWeb satellites on a Soyuz from the Vostochny Cosmodrome on 2020-12-17.
Bharti Global benefits from $3,300,000,000 invested to date in OneWeb and from satellites already in orbit that secure its usage rights.
OneWeb planned to expand to delivering global services in 2022.
The UK Government and Bharti Global formed a consortium to acquire OneWeb following a successful bid in July 2020.