Bharti-led OneWeb expands to embrace Eutelsat

28th July 2022
Bharti-led OneWeb expands to  embrace Eutelsat

Paris, France & London, UK, July 28 2022: Leading  Francre-based European satellite service provider,  Eutelsat Communications is to  combine its 36-strong fleet of GEO satellites with OneWeb’s constellation of 648 low Earth orbit satellites, of which 428 are currently in orbit. 
Key shareholders of the two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the objective of creating a leading global player in connectivity through the combination of both companies.
Says OneWeb’s Executive Chairman  Sunil Bharti Mittal:  “Having played a pioneering role in providing connectivity in the emerging world, I am excited about the possibilities of connecting the unconnected. The combination of Eutelsat and OneWeb represents a significant development in that direction as well as a unique GEO/LEO combination. The positive early results of our service together with our strong pipeline represent a very exciting opportunity in the fast-growing satellite connectivity segment, especially for customers requiring a high speed, low latency experience. Our customers are actively seeking a combined GEO/LEO offering leading us towards this important step. Bharti, as the lead shareholder of OneWeb, along with other key shareholders, is looking forward to playing a meaningful role in providing expanded connectivity through the combination of OneWeb and Eutelsat.”
Adds Eutelsat’s Chairman,  Dominique D’Hinnin: “I am delighted to announce this new and significant step in the collaboration between Eutelsat and OneWeb. Bringing together our two businesses will deliver a global first, combining LEO constellations and GEO assets to seize the significant growth opportunity in connectivity, and deliver to our customers solutions to their needs across an even wider range of applications. This combination will accelerate the commercialisation of OneWeb’s fleet, while enhancing the attractiveness of Eutelsat’s growth profile. In addition, the combination carries significant value creation potential, anchored on a balanced mix of revenue, cost and capex synergies. The strong support of strategic shareholders of both parties is a testament to the huge opportunity that this combination offers and the value that will be created for all its stakeholders. This is truly a game changer for our industry.” 
Eutelsat and OneWeb will address the considerable Connectivity market opportunity, which is fuelled by the growing needs of customers in both the B2B and B2C segments for consistent, reliable connectivity. These market segments are forecast to grow by three and five times respectively over the next decade, to reach a combined value of circa $16bn by 2030, with growth being served by both GEO HTS and LEO capacity. Moreover, the combination of the network density, compelling economics and high throughput of GEO with the low latency and ubiquity of LEO, creates the optimal solution to address an even wider range of customer needs, thereby expanding the addressable market.