BT has signed a partnership agreement with UK-owned low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operator OneWeb to investigate ways to improve connectivity in some of the hardest-to-reach locations.
OneWeb operates a constellation of LEO satellites that deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity to governments, businesses and communities worldwide. The company has rebuilt momentum after a near-collapse early in the COVID-19 pandemic when critical funding was withdrawn.
The UK government intervened to acquire a majority stake in OneWeb alongside the Bharti Group. Since then, the company has attracted further investment, including $400 million from SoftBank and Hughes Network Systems, and a 25 percent stake purchased by GEO satellite operator Eutelsat.
The pandemic underscored the importance of universal access to reliable, fast connectivity, a goal echoed by the UK government’s commitment to “level up” digital infrastructure across the country.
Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman commented:
“No one should miss out on the benefits of better broadband and mobile coverage. It is great that BT and OneWeb are working together to explore new ways to bring faster and more reliable connectivity to the hardest to reach homes.
Alongside industry, we have kicked off the biggest broadband build in British history and are spending a record £5.5 billion to end poor or patchy 4G coverage and deliver gigabit speeds in all corners of the UK.”
OneWeb aims to have deployed 254 of its planned 648 satellites by 1 July, each satellite roughly the size of a domestic refrigerator. The company expects to begin providing service to UK customers and other northern regions by the end of 2021.
Neil Masterson, OneWeb’s CEO, said:
“This partnership is a huge sign of progress in the resilience and advancement of the overall telecom infrastructure in the UK. OneWeb’s network will be a vital means for bridging the last digital divides across the network and we are excited to be part of the solution with BT to expand the nation’s digital infrastructure.”
Under the agreement, BT and OneWeb will assess how satellite technology can augment capacity, strengthen mobile resilience, improve backhaul and expand coverage — including supporting Fixed Wireless Access — in locations where geography or population density make terrestrial deployment difficult or costly.
Philip Jansen, Chief Executive of BT, added:
“Our ambitious full-fibre and mobile commitments have put BT at the forefront of efforts to expand digital connectivity across the UK. It is clear that greater partnership is needed, both with government and within industry, to ensure connectivity can reach every last corner of the country. Our agreement with OneWeb is an important step to understanding how that goal could be achieved in the future.”
In March, BT announced a commitment to invest £12 billion and “build like fury” to increase availability of full-fibre (FTTP) connections, following Ofcom’s decision not to set a price cap on FTTP wholesale services.
Earlier this month, French telecoms group Altice acquired a 12.1 percent stake in BT, becoming the company’s largest external investor. Altice stated that it sees the UK as a strong environment for long-term investment and that the current regulatory framework supports the incentives for BT to make necessary infrastructure investments.
The OneWeb agreement represents another long-term investment by BT to ensure even remote communities across the UK gain access to modern connectivity options.
(Image Credit: OneWeb)
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