Nobody desires Musk to monopolize satellite tv for pc Web: Chairman of Eutelsat, ET Telecom

By Yassine KhiriParis: The top of European satellite tv for pc operator Eutelsat is aware of that her activity is not going to be straightforward: to type a competitor to Elon Musk’s Starlink and supply high-speed Web from area.

“We’ve got a variety of clients who need us to get there rapidly,” Eva Bernicki stated in an interview with AFP.

“They instructed us they took Starlink as a result of there was nobody else. However additionally they need competitors. Nobody desires a monopoly.”

Eutelsat not too long ago merged with British operator OneWeb and goals so as to add communications and connectivity to its core enterprise of broadcast media.

However Musk just isn’t the one competitor.

American businessman Jeff Bezos and the Chinese language authorities additionally aspire to launch hundreds of satellites.

“There’s room for 4 or 5 operators,” Berneke stated of the rising business, evaluating it to cell networks.

Satellite tv for pc broadband guarantees to offer protection to distant areas by eliminating the necessity for antennas and different infrastructure.

It’ll additionally present web for passenger plane and merchandise equivalent to related vehicles.

“all the things is feasible”

Eutelsat plans to launch the second technology of OneWeb Web providers by 2028.

Berneke additionally plans to affix a six-billion-euro EU venture referred to as IRIS2, which goals to launch a community of satellites.

Eutelsat is a part of a consortium negotiating with the European Union, and Pernicke stated it may envision OneWeb payloads on the IRIS2 satellites and vice versa.

“At this level something is feasible,” she added.

Nonetheless, there are some thorny points that must be addressed.

OneWeb is a subsidiary of Eutelsat, however the British authorities has a “golden stake” within the firm — the type of management that worries some within the IRIS2 setup.

Berneke stated she had shaped a “safety committee” to make sure that solely approved individuals may entry delicate elements of the venture.

The consortium goals to conclude a deal by early subsequent 12 months, however acknowledged there are numerous points to resolve, not least the involvement of non-EU components in OneWeb.

However Berneke highlighted that European launch amenities are skinny on the bottom in the meanwhile.

“If we insist on launching one thing that must be operational in 2028 and that the launch pad is European, we may have problem,” she stated. “It’s so simple as that.”