OneWeb, a global satellite broadband service provider, is now just a step away from completing its constellation of over 600 LEO satellites. For years now, OneWeb has been launching LEO satellites into space and preparing to offer satellite broadband services in several parts of the globe. The last satellite launch for the company is scheduled for March 26, 2023, where OneWeb would be launching over 36 satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota.
The company currently has 582 satellites in the low earth orbit. With this next launch with ISRO/NSIL, the total count of satellites in space would surpass 600 for OneWeb. 600 is the minimum count that OneWeb requires to go live with commercial satellite broadband services. The company has already earmarked countries that it wants to do business in. OneWeb has partnered with global telecom service providers and is looking to aid their business rather than compete with them.
Read More - OneWeb Launch 18 to Deploy 36 Satellites With ISRO
OneWeb isn't likely going to operate in the same model as Starlink, which is very much consumer-focused. Rather, OneWeb seems to be more focused on building business relations with the existing businesses in the telecom space. That is not to say that OneWeb would totally ignore the consumer side of the business. But in several countries, OneWeb might only work in the B2B space as satellite broadband services and its equipment could be a tad bit too expensive for the consumers to invest in.
It is worth noting that OneWeb plans to launch commercial services in India later this year. The company has already bagged a global mobile personal communications by satellite (GMPCS) license from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). What's also important to remember here is that the space policy has not yet been revealed in India. That is something that not only OneWeb but also its competitors, such as Starlink and Amazon, would be keen to look at.
