Page 98 - SAMENA Trends - February 2020

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OneWeb Readies Internet Satellites for Launch

disasters and will enable new technologies that are coming to
the fore. OneWeb launched 6 micro-satellites last February as it
sought “first mover advantage,” with that initial foray laying the
foundations for its first proper launches, which were originally
scheduled for December. The self-imposed deadline later slipped
to mid-to-late-January, but now the company has confirmed the
big day for early February. At 21:42 (GMT) on February 6, OneWeb
will launch 34 satellites into orbit from Baikonur Cosmodrome
in Kazakhstan, ushering in what it calls one of the “largest
civilian satellite launch campaigns in history.” All the satellites
are manufactured by OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between
OneWeb and Airbus Defence and Space, and plans are in place
to push 648 satellites into space by 2021. This number could
increase significantly, though, if an application to the U.S. Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) proves fruitful. OneWeb has
already given a glimpse into the kinds of services its infrastructure
will enable. Back in September, it revealed that its first commercial
service will be aimed at the Arctic region. When it becomes
operational, OneWeb promises 375Gbps of capacity for all areas
lying above the 60th parallel north, a circle of latitude 60 degrees
north of the Equator that spans North America, Europe, and Asia.
Building this infrastructure is a costly endeavor, which is why
OneWeb has raised north of $3 billion over the past seven years
OneWeb, the heavily funded startup that’s setting out to create from big-name entities including SoftBank, Qualcomm, Grupo
a constellation of micro satellites to deliver broadband from Salinas, and the Rwandan government. Elon Musk’s SpaceX is also
space, is finally gearing up for the first in a series of regular operating in this realm, and just yesterday it launched its fourth
monthly launches throughout 2020 and beyond. The London- tranche of rockets into orbit following its initial batch last May,
based company, which was founded in 2012, is one of a number and now claims some 240 Starlink satellites in space. Elsewhere,
of organizations battling to commercialize low Earth orbit (LEO) Amazon too is planning a network of low-orbit satellites, though
through delivering fiber-like high-speed internet from more than it hasn’t yet announced a timescale, and Apple is reportedly in the
600 satellites. While the infrastructure helps telecom and internet early stages of a similar program. OneWeb said that it’s planning
companies extend their coverage to areas that are otherwise its first demos by the end of 2020, with full commercial services
hard to reach, it also ensures always-on coverage during natural expected to commence globally in 2021.

OneWeb Partners Kazakhstan’s AIFC for Expansion in Central Asia

OneWeb, the global communications the Governor of AIFC Kairat Kelimbetov networks and prioritizes providing
company, whose goal is to connect and OneWeb’s CEO Adrian Steckel during broadband access by satellite in 6,600
everyone everywhere, has announced that the World Economic Forum in Davos, rural and remote communities. OneWeb
it signed a Memorandum of Understanding Switzerland where they discussed how plans to engage local telecom operators
(MoU) with Astana International Financial OneWeb will enhance the implementation among its distribution partners to provide
Centre (AIFC), the largest financial hub of a key government program called its ubiquitous, high-speed, low-latency
in Central Asia, to accelerate broadband “Digital Kazakhstan” and other initiatives “fiber-like” broadband connectivity across
connectivity in Kazakhstan. The MoU for greater collaboration between OneWeb the private and public sector, including
marks the start of a partnership focused and Kazakhstan. Digital Kazakhstan aims businesses, schools, hospitals and civil
on achieving two important goals in to provide high-speed broadband across services in Kazakhstan. A technical
Kazakhstan and Central Asia: providing Kazakhstan by 2022, boosting development hub serving the greater Central Asia
the first low-latency satellite broadband in of the country’s economy and improving region will also be one of the projects
Kazakhstan and establishing a technical the quality of life of Kazakhstani citizens under consideration, enabled by existing
hub in the country to support OneWeb’s by means of digital technologies. As a part space communications infrastructure in
communication service delivery across of this effort, Digital Kazakhstan seeks to Kazakhstan. OneWeb is considering setting
Central Asia. The MoU was signed by expand the country’s telecommunication up a joint venture in the jurisdiction of

98 FEBRUARY 2020