Another Non-Geostationary Orbit Satellite Broadband Operator Gets FCC OK for US Operation

The US is set to get another satellite broadband provider that uses a non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) approach. The Federal Communications Commission has approved market access to OneWeb, a NGSO satellite broadband operator that filed for bankruptcy earlier in 2020 but is back in action after receiving an investment from the British government. NGSO operators use constellations of satellites that orbit the earth at lower altitudes in comparison with traditional geostationary satellites. The NGSO approach is designed to minimize latency by minimizing the distance that broadband signals must travel.

Like their geostationary counterparts, the NGSO operators are expected to have the greatest success in rural areas that lack high-speed terrestrial-based broadband options. The highest-profile NGSO projects are SpaceX’s Starlink offering and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, but several other NGSO operators also have been approved to operate in the US Starlink has made considerable progress on its offering, conducting trials and even considering participation in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund rural broadband funding auction.