Speedcast has announced a deal to become a OneWeb Distribution Partner, which will see the satcom service provider offer Low Earth Orbit (LEO) connectivity on the OneWeb network alongside its existing VSAT and GSM offerings.
OneWeb is set to enter customer trials in mid-2022, with maritime services expected to follow in 2023.
The satellite company had been facing potential delays on its network introduction after planned launches from Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan were cancelled for political reasons, however a new deal with SpaceX has since been announced that will allow the firm to resume its launch programme, expected to restart later this year.
The OneWeb service will be integrated with Speedcast’s Unified Global Platform (UGP), which offers switching between GEO, MEO and 4G/5G space and terrestrial networks, providing monitoring and automatic selection of the right network path based on changes in the operating environment.
Speedcast says it is already working with OneWeb on live service demonstrations, and that this collaboration will extend further in the coming months with trials relating to the constellation’s antenna tracking, handovers and ground equipment.
“This agreement will enable Speedcast to expand its expertise in integrated connectivity services for the maritime, energy and enterprise industries with OneWeb’s LEO satellite innovations. Speedcast and OneWeb are looking forward to the results of forthcoming trials this year, where we’ll demonstrate real progress on our maritime mobility and land enterprise offerings,” said Neil Masterson, CEO at OneWeb.
OneWeb’s LEO constellation currently includes 428 satellites in orbit, representing two-thirds of its planned fleet.
