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Bharti
joins
OneWeb's
mission
to
build
a
new
global
communications
system
to
provide
affordable
Internet
access
for
all
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June
25,
2015
Bharti
Enterprises
has
acquired
a
strategic
minority
stake
in
OneWeb,
which
is
supported
by a
global
consortium
with
an
aim
to
provide
affordable
internet
access
to
all.
As
one
of
the
founding
members
of
OneWeb,
Bharti
will
have
representation
on
the
Board
of
the
company.
OneWeb
today
announced
USD
500
million
in
funding
from
its
investors
to
take
forward
its
mission.
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OneWeb’s
mission
is
to
enable
affordable
Internet
access
for
everyone
and
the
Company
aims
to
build
a
communications
network
with
an
initial
constellation
of
648
Low
Earth
Orbit
satellites
that
will
provide
connectivity
to
billions
of
people
around
the
world.
The
OneWeb
User
Terminals
contain
embedded
LTE,
3G,
2G
and
Wifi
access
capabilities
that
extend
the
reach
of
mobile
operators.
With
more
than
10
terabits
per
second
of
new
capacity,
the
system
will
transparently
extend
the
networks
of
mobile
operators
and
ISPs
to
serve
new
coverage
areas,
bringing
voice
and
data
access
to
consumers,
businesses,
schools,
healthcare
institutions
and
other
end
users.
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Bharti
Airtel,
a
Bharti
group
company
with
operations
in
20
countries
across
Asia
and
Africa,
will
be
able
to
leverage
the
investment
by
becoming
a
preferred
distributor
of
these
services
across
its
operations.
Bharti
Airtel’s
mobile
networks
currently
cover
a
population
of
over
1.85
billion
people
and
is
supported
by a
vast
distribution
set-up
with
presence
in
rural
areas.
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Announcing
the
investment,
Sunil
Bharti
Mittal,
Chairman,
Bharti
Enterprises
said,
“Access
to
affordable
high
speed
Internet
is a
powerful
tool
for
economic
development
and
empowerment
of
populations,
particularly
in
emerging
economies.
OneWeb,
an
innovative
system
backed
by
leading
global
corporations,
will
complement
the
efforts
of
Governments
and
telecom
operators
across
the
globe
to
take
internet
to
the
masses.
Having
witnessed
the
deep
positive
impact
of
enabling
communications
across
our
global
operations,
Bharti
is
delighted
to
be a
part
of
this
initiative
that
will
accelerate
the
journey
towards
building
a
digitally
inclusive
world.”
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“In
India,
which
is
on
the
cusp
of a
massive
data
revolution,
hundreds
millions
of
consumers
in
rural
areas
will
benefit
from
this
initiative
and
it
will
boost
the
Government’s
Digital
India
program
and
its
vision
of
broadband
access
for
all.
Similarly,
nations
across
Africa
will
be
able
to
fulfill
their
digital
inclusion
agenda
and
aid
economic
growth
through
these
affordable
services.”
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Following
the
announcement
of
its
joint
venture
with
Airbus
Space
and
Defence
to
build
the
highest
volume
satellite
production
factory
in
the
world,
OneWeb
today
also
announced
the
largest
commercial
rocket
acquisition
ever
of
more
than
65
rockets
from
Arianespace
and
Virgin
Galactic.
Arianespace
will
be
providing
21
Soyuz
rockets
from
3
separate
launch
pads
on a
firm
schedule,
5
Soyuz
options
and
3
Ariane
6
options.
Virgin
Galactic
will
be
providing
39
separate
launches.
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“The
dream
of
fully
bridging
the
digital
divide
is
on
track
to
be a
reality
in
2019,”
said
Greg
Wyler,
founder
of
OneWeb.
“Together
with
our
committed
and
visionary
founding
shareholders
we
have
the
key
elements
in
place:
regulatory,
technology,
launches,
satellites,
as
well
as
commercial
operators
in
over
50
countries
and
territories.
We
are
committed
to
solving
one
of
the
world’s
biggest
problems
–
enabling
affordable
broadband
Internet
access
for
everyone.
We
are
excited
about
the
next
phase,
which
will
involve
working
with
countries,
telecom
operators
and
aid
organizations
to
help
them
realize
their
goals
of
open
and
ubiquitous
access.”
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OneWeb
has
also
raised
investment
from
Airbus
Group,
The
Coca-Cola
Company,
Grupo
Salinas,
Hughes
Network
Systems,
(Hughes),
a
subsidiary
of
EchoStar
Corp.,
Intelsat,
Qualcomm
Incorporated
and
Virgin
Group.
The
company
plans
to
start
services
by
2019.
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“We’re
very
excited
to
be
part
of
OneWeb’s
endeavor
to
provide
global
Internet
access
for
everybody,
everywhere.
Whether
at
some
remote
place
on
earth
or
flying
high
on
an
Airbus
aircraft,
you’ll
be
connected:
a
grand
proposition
for
mankind
and
a
sound
business
opportunity
for
us!
We
are
committed
to
giving
our
full
industrial
and
space
expertise
to
this
mission,”
said
Tom
Enders,
Chief
Executive
Officer
of
Airbus
Group.
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“This
project
is
exciting
because
it
combines
commerce
with
purpose,”
said
Muhtar
Kent,
Chairman
and
CEO,
The
Coca-Cola
Company.
“We
believe
it
will
help
spur
local
economic
development
where
people
are
in
the
greatest
need,
while
also
helping
our
business
by
improving
real-time
access
to
some
of
the
world’s
most
remote
areas
where
we
are
already
active
in
helping
provide
opportunities
for
entrepreneurs.”
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“We
would
like
nothing
better
than
to
bring
true
affordable
broadband
coverage
to
100%
of
Mexico,
but
running
cables
and
placing
towers
for
that
level
of
coverage
has
just
not
been
possible.
We
are
backing
OneWeb,
as
we
believe
it
has
all
the
pieces
in
place
to
create
that
service
in
the
future,”
said
Ricardo
Salinas,
Chairman
of
Grupo
Salinas.
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“OneWeb
is a
game-changing
next
generation
satellite
system,”
said
Pradman
Kaul,
President
of
Hughes.
“We
have
been
looking
at
every
detail
and
are
excited
to
participate
both
in
the
design,
development
and
production
of
the
ground
system.
In
addition,
we
will
employ
the
OneWeb
network
to
deliver
services
to
our
global
base
of
customers
and
distribution
partners.”
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“Intelsat
provides
more
satellite
broadband
connectivity
to
more
users
than
any
other
company. From communities
to nations,
from
enterprises
to telecommunications
operators and
content
owners,
Intelsat
has
witnessed
firsthand
the
economic
growth
and
value
creation
that
result
from
access
to
reliable
communications,”
said
Stephen
Spengler, CEO
of
Intelsat
S.A.
“Our
role
in
the commercial
space sector
is
to
push
for
innovations
that
can
drive
increased
performance,
economics
and
simple
access
for
our
users. Intelsat
has
the
world’s
largest
fleet
of
Ku
Band
geostationary
satellites
and
our
interoperability
will
enable
pole-to-pole
and
urban
canyon
coverage
with
new
services
that
further
our
goal
of a
connected
world.”
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“Qualcomm
is
committed
to
working
with
the
ecosystem
to
extend
connectivity
to
everyone,
everywhere,
and
everything
around
the
world
through
our
innovative
technologies.
Our
investment
with
OneWeb
along
with
our
expertise
and
core
technologies
furthers
this
objective,”
said
Dr.
Paul
E.
Jacobs,
Executive
Chairman
of
Qualcomm
Incorporated.
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“Our
vision
is
to
make
the
Internet
affordable
for
everyone,
connecting
remote
areas
to
rest
of
the
world
and
helping
to
raise
living
standards
and
prosperity
in
some
of
the
poorest
regions
today,”
said
Sir
Richard
Branson,
founder
of
the
Virgin
Group.
“We
believe
that
OneWeb,
together
with
Virgin
Galactic’s
LauncherOne
satellite
launch
system,
has
the
capability
to
make
this
a
reality.”
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