Veon, a global digital operator, and OneWeb, Bharti Group-backed Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, announced a partnership to provide extended mobile internet connectivity and digital services at the Mobile World Congress, Barcelona. Partnership to further support Veon Groups' "4G for all" and "Humanitarian connectivity" focus.
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Veon's Connectivity Goals
Veon Group companies operate and serve a vast geography serving more than 510 million people, including countries with the lowest population densities, uneven distribution, internal migration patterns, and rich economic resources in remote and disaster-prone regions. In such areas providing connectivity becomes a challenging task. According to a joint statement by the companies, Veon's partnership with OneWeb will further support Veon's connectivity focus in such areas.
Veon has expanded its 4G coverage significantly over the past 2 years to bridge the digital divide for millions of users, respond to disasters and unlock economic growth in their markets.
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OneWeb
OneWeb can deliver high-speed, low-latency connectivity to governments, businesses and communities. According to the release, OneWeb has launched 544 satellites in orbit to date, 80% of its satellite constellation, which upon completion in 2023, will deliver global coverage.
OneWeb services integrate and work seamlessly with mobile communication infrastructure to enable satellite backhaul into mobile networks. OneWeb facilitates the extension of 3G, 4G, LTE, and 5G networks into communities that lack adequate coverage or are entirely disconnected, focusing on areas that are difficult to access.
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According to the release, Veon Group can explore the possibilities this partnership will bring, from emergency connectivity in disaster response to enabling economic activity in remote regions and serving rural areas with mobile education, healthcare and financial services, complementing terrestrial connectivity.
