OneWeb celebrates 2023’s key milestones and joint successes

Low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity company OneWeb has achieved several key milestones this year already as part of its objective to connect the unconnected and bridge the digital divide on land, at sea and in the air.

The company says it is driven by a “for the industry, by the industry” approach to aviation and shares the excitement of these achievements with a host of world-class, industry-leading technology, integration and distribution partners.

OneWeb completed its 18th launch on 26 March, which is a significant milestone in the history of the company. The launch took place from Sriharokita, India, and brought the total number of OneWeb satellites in orbit to 618. The company says this exceeds the 588 active satellites needed to achieve truly global coverage, adding that it will be ready to roll out global coverage by the end of the year, enhancing its existing connectivity solutions that are already live in regions north of 50-degrees latitude as it brings new areas online.

Ben Griffin, VP Mobility at OneWeb, said: “With this launch, OneWeb has become the first broadband LEO constellation that is truly complete and the only one with effective polar coverage north and south. We’re also the only LEO network operator with high-quality service level agreements and a robust technical network to fully support mobility customers. We remain on course to deliver global coverage by the end of 2023 – with aviation services coming online in early 2024.”

In addition, OneWeb and its partners Intelsat and Stellar Blu successfully tested a hybrid satcom solution in February that leverages both LEO and GEO satellite networks during flight tests. The testing took place on board Intelsat’s Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet outfitted with the new electronically-steered antenna built in conjunction with Stellar Blu and OneWeb.

According to OneWeb, peak inflight download speeds exceeded 275 Mbps, facilitating applications such as live virtual meetings as well as media streaming, and with the enhanced low latency of the OneWeb network, cloud computing without interruption.

Ben Griffin said: “The ability for OneWeb to integrate with existing GEO constellations will provide airlines with flexibility and peace of mind as the new LEO capabilities of the OneWeb network are deployed and proven. We expect certification of this ground-breaking antenna in Q1, 2024.”

The company has also made inroads in the regional jet market. Alaska Airlines, which selected Intelsat for an industry-first regional IFC upgrade, will become the first customer for the OneWeb/Stellar Blu developed ESA that Intelsat successfully tested in February.

Alaska Airlines said: “Intelsat’s state-of-the-art satellite Wi-Fi equipment will be the first commercial application of an electronically steered antenna that communicates with both low Earth orbit and geostationary satellites located 22,000 miles from Earth. With LEO at just 300 miles from the Earth’s surface, thousands of small satellites circling the planet ensure stronger connectivity with lower latency, or delay in telecommunications.”

OneWeb was also named “Best New Satellite Service” at the 2023 Aviation Achievement Awards in Dubai in February.

Commenting on this achievement, Ben Griffin said: “We thank the team at Creative Middle East, as well as our trusted technology and distribution partners for this award – which is testament to the validity of this strategy.”