OneWeb issued GMPCS licence by DoT to provide SATCOM

Bharti group-backed Oneweb has received a licence from the government to provide satellite services in the country, an official source said on Thursday.

UK-based Oneweb has plans to provide connectivity in the country through OneWeb satellite from mid-2022.

“The Department of Telecom has issued Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence to OneWeb,” the official source told PTI.

An e-mail query sent to OneWeb remained unanswered.

With the licence, which allows Oneweb to provide satellite communication services in India, Bharti group will have an edge in connecting its mobile towers through satellite services.

In 2020, OneWeb was acquired by the UK government and the Bharti group.

The UK government and Bharti Global invested USD 500 million each in the company in 2020.

In 2021, SoftBank, Hughes and Eutelsat also made investments in the company.

Meanwhile, OneWeb and the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation, New Space India Limited (NSIL) have entered into an agreement that will help ensure OneWeb completes its satellite launch programme.

The first launch with NSIL is expected in 2022 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota.

Satellite industry body Indian Space Association (ISpA) said the partnership between OneWeb and NSIL is a historic development and this will surely pave the way for a greater participation of private space players, resulting in a boost to the Indian space economy.

Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd.), Director General, Indian Space Association (ISpA) comments:
“It’s a defining moment with DoT signing India’s first license agreement for satellite broadband services with OneWeb. This is a new beginning towards the next age of broadband revolution via LEO satellites constellations in the country. Broadband through Leo Satellite has the immense capability to change the connectivity dynamics in the country as it can solve the connectivity challenges in remotest regions where it’s still an issue. This move will inspire and act as a stepping stone for other private players as well to steadfastly work towards new-age satellite communication technologies in the near future. Today, India is at the cusp of an emerging evolution and LEO satellite-based broadband has the potential in playing a key role in bringing high-speed, low latency services to users.”

PTI