UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has granted Amazon an earth station network licence for its Kuiper satellite constellation and announced expanded radio spectrum availability to support satellite and fixed wireless services.
Amazon Kuiper Services Europe SARL, the unit managing Amazon’s satellite internet project, is now authorised to operate in the UK. Project Kuiper´s non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) system aims to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband—especially to communities with limited or no terrestrial connectivity.
Kuiper will use Ka-band frequencies, including 27.5–27.9405 GHz, 28.4545–28.9485 GHz, and 29.5–30 GHz. These allocations enable efficient space-to-ground and ground-to-space transmission, helping provide internet access in rural and remote areas that struggle to get reliable service from traditional infrastructure.
Satellites such as Kuiper play a key role in narrowing the digital divide, offering an alternative path to connectivity where fibre or other fixed networks are not practical or cost-effective.
Alongside approving Project Kuiper’s licence, Ofcom has announced plans to release additional spectrum in the 28 GHz and 32 GHz bands. The release is intended to increase capacity for satellite services and point-to-point fixed links, encouraging innovation, investment and wider customer access.
Ofcom says these frequency ranges are well-suited for fixed links and satellite connectivity. Fixed links provide point-to-point wireless connections between fixed locations and are commonly used where fibre is unavailable. For satellite systems, the 28 GHz band is particularly valuable for gateway sites—hubs that connect satellite networks to the internet, private networks or cloud services—as well as for user terminals.
The regulator is making two blocks in the 28 GHz band available immediately for land-based satellite terminals and satellite gateways:
- Nationwide: 2 x 112 MHz at 27.8285–27.9405 GHz paired with 28.8365–28.9485 GHz.
- London and Northern Ireland: an additional 2 x 112 MHz at 28.1925–28.3045 GHz paired with 29.2005–29.3125 GHz, initially designated for satellite gateways with plans to include fixed links later in 2023.
For the 32 GHz band, Ofcom will release 2 x 112 MHz at 32.459–32.571 GHz paired with 33.271–33.383 GHz for nationwide point-to-point fixed links, available from 2025.
Ofcom is also monitoring spectrum at 27.9405–28.0525 GHz and 29.9485–29.0605 GHz and will decide on those allocations after reviewing uptake of the newly released blocks.
While making spectrum more accessible, Ofcom has chosen not to introduce new direct authorisations for satellite gateways in the 28 GHz band. Instead, it expects market mechanisms—such as spectrum leasing between parties—to support spectrum sharing. The regulator, however, says it will reconsider this approach if market arrangements fail to deliver the intended access.
Nina Percival, Director of Spectrum Management and Authorisation at Ofcom, said the decisions align with the regulator’s goal to support innovation, investment and growth, creating opportunities for services that improve connectivity for people and businesses across the UK—particularly in hard-to-reach rural communities.
These measures advance both the short-term objective of improving access for rural and remote areas and the longer-term aim of stimulating innovation in satellite and telecommunications markets.
Amazon Kuiper’s licence adds another major competitor to the UK’s satellite broadband sector, which already includes services like SpaceX’s Starlink. Greater provider diversity should foster competition, drive technical and commercial innovation, put downward pressure on prices, and help close Britain’s digital divide.
(Image credit: Amazon)
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