Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes), an innovator in satellite and multi-transport technologies and networks, and OneWeb, on Friday said they have signed a distribution agreement in the US focused on enterprise services.
In India, the parties have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a strategic agreement to distribute services to large enterprises, small and medium businesses, government, telcos and Internet service providers (ISPs) in the rural and remote parts of the country, OneWeb said in a statement.
Services will be offered by Hughes Network Systems, LLC, and Hughes Communications India Private Ltd, respectively, it said.
Hughes, through its parent company EchoStar, is an investor in OneWeb. It is also an ecosystem partner to OneWeb, developing gateway electronics and the core module that will power every user terminal for the system. Hughes is the prime contractor on an agreement with the US Air Force Research Lab to integrate and demonstrate managed LEO SATCOM using OneWeb capacity in the Arctic region.
Hughes and OneWeb also intend to work together to broaden distribution globally, with Hughes to offer OneWeb’s low-latency, high-speed connectivity for markets such as enterprise, government, commercial aviation and maritime, cellular backhaul, and community Wi-Fi hotspots.
“OneWeb’s system enhances the Hughes portfolio of networking capabilities, introducing a low-latency option with global reach that complements GEO satellite capacity density and capability to meet our customers’ needs. As a case in point, in India which has been starved of high throughput satellite services, the OneWeb services will help us meet the tremendous backhaul and broadband demand," Pradman Kaul, President, Hughes, said.
At a jointly hosted session at Satellite 2021 at National Harbor, Maryland, representatives of the companies signed the new agreements, addressed their ongoing partnership, and shared a demonstration of multi-orbit connectivity in action. The test, recorded on August 26, featured the successful real-time, seamless switching between the Hughes Jupiter 2 geostationary, high-throughput satellite (HTS) and OneWeb’s low latency, high speed LEO constellation.
“This agreement is another example of our commitment to deliver high-quality, continuous Internet access to areas in need, including in rural and remote areas of the US and India. Hughes is already an important investor and an invaluable technology partner, and I look forward to continuing to grow our relationship further," Neil Masterson, Chief Executive officer, OneWeb, said.