OneWeb (Eutelsat OneWeb): The Other Major LEO Broadband Constellation
OneWeb survived bankruptcy, merged with Eutelsat, and now operates a 648-satellite constellation focused on enterprise and government — not consumers. Inside the network.
OneWeb is the third major low-Earth-orbit broadband constellation. Where Starlink and Kuiper target consumer markets, OneWeb focuses on enterprise, telecom backhaul, maritime, aviation, and government customers. After a 2020 bankruptcy and a 2023 merger with Eutelsat, the company is now a unified GEO-LEO operator.
A different go-to-market
- Distribution through telecom partners — Hughes, OneWeb, Dish, telcos in dozens of countries.
- Wholesale model — providing capacity to ISPs and operators rather than direct consumer billing.
- Specialized terminals built by partners (Hughes, Intellian, Kymeta, Hanwha) rather than a single proprietary dish.
The constellation today
- Active satellites
- 648 in operation
- Orbital altitude
- ~1,200 km
- Inclination
- 87.9° (near-polar, full global coverage)
- Launch providers
- Soyuz historically; now SpaceX, ISRO LVM3, Ariane
- Operating company
- Eutelsat OneWeb (since 2023 merger)
Why polar inclination matters
OneWeb's near-polar orbits give continuous coverage of high latitudes — including the Arctic and Antarctica. Maritime users in northern waters and Arctic research stations are key customers, plus aviation routes that cross polar regions.
Generation 2 plans
Eutelsat OneWeb has filed for a much larger second-generation constellation that combines additional LEO satellites with the Eutelsat geostationary fleet for layered service. A combined GEO/LEO offering targets enterprise customers who want both low latency and ultra-reliable delivery.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get OneWeb at home?
Generally no — OneWeb sells to enterprise, government, and telecom partners. Consumer service tends to be through resellers in specific markets.
What happened to OneWeb in 2020?
OneWeb filed for bankruptcy at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was acquired by a consortium led by the UK government and Bharti Group, and later merged with Eutelsat in 2023.
How does OneWeb compare to Starlink for latency?
OneWeb at 1,200 km has higher round-trip latency than Starlink at 540 km, but well below GEO. Typical OneWeb latency is around 70-100 ms.
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