Telstra and OneWeb are set to undertake one of the largest rollouts of OneWeb's low Earth Orbit (LEO) backhaul solution for a commercial mobile network. According to the joint statement, this strategic agreement aims to revolutionise mobile connectivity in remote regions and enhance the user experience for Telstra's customers across Australia.
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Migration to OneWeb's LEO Solution
Following successful testing in Australia, Telstra and OneWeb have finalized the commercial terms and are gearing up to migrate hundreds of existing remote mobile base stations, currently relying on satellite backhaul, to OneWeb's advanced LEO solution later this year. This transition will provide an incredible capacity of up to 25 Gbps to Telstra's most remote mobile customers, ensuring seamless real-time applications such as voice and video calling.
Benefits for Remote Mobile Customers
Telstra highlighted the tremendous potential this collaboration brings, especially for customers in hard-to-reach rural and regional areas. The importance of added redundancy in the event of power or transmission incidents, which the OneWeb LEO solution provides, is also highlighted.
According to the statement, initially, Telstra will utilize OneWeb's service as a backhaul medium to connect remote mobile base stations. However, the possibilities are far-reaching, as the partnership offers the capability to deliver voice and fixed broadband services to regional Australia.
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Future Expansion and Use Cases
Telstra says it aims to expand its regional coverage as it supports new site deployments, aligning with its T25 commitment to provide an additional 100,000 square kilometres of mobile coverage by the end of FY25.
Telstra says its plans extend beyond the initial rollout, as they intend to test the LEO solution for network backhaul resilience and explore emerging use cases for business, enterprise, and government customers. These applications include Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, connectivity on the move for emergency service agencies, and the mining, oil, and gas sectors.
OneWeb Deployment Across an Entire Continent
OneWeb highlighted that this collaboration marks the first time OneWeb's services will be deployed across an entire continent, benefitting remote users, including consumers, enterprises, and government agencies. The statement also emphasized the role of Telstra in shaping future generations of OneWeb's product development.
OneWeb, with over 630 satellites currently in orbit, is on track to achieve global coverage by the end of this year. Services in Australia are expected to commence mid-year, with worldwide availability anticipated by early 2024.
Telstra's partnership with OneWeb serves as a catalyst for the realization of their T25 ambition, solidifying their position as a network leader and extending mobile coverage across the Australian landscape.
