Amazon's Project Kuiper takes a major step towards competing with Elon Musk's Starlink by securing a UK licence to provide high-speed satellite internet. The move aims to bridge the digital divide and offer reliable connectivity in underserved areas.
JEFF Bezos has overcome a major hurdle in his bid to rival Elon Musk 's Starlink satellite internet service. The UK regulator, Ofcom , has granted a licence to Amazon 's Project Kuiper , allowing it to provide satellite connectivity services such as high-speed, low latency broadband to customers in the UK. This decision means Kuiper will be authorised to provide satellite connectivity services such as high speed, low latency broadband to customers in the UK.
Currently, a contract with Musk's Starlink costs from £75 a month in the UK with a £299 outlay for equipment. There's a frenzy of activity around satellite connectivity. This is in stark contrast to a few years ago as users switched from satellite TV to streaming services. 'Ultimately this is good news for consumers to ensure they are able to receive connectivity in hard-to-reach areas. Virgin Media customers unlock TWO new TV channels on their boxes at no extra cost. It is encouraging to see a vast number of providers starting to get serious about using satellite for the last mile. Ultimately reliable and robust connectivity is still highly sought after among all users.', The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has already granted Amazon permission to launch 3,236 satellites across five phases - and now Ofcom has granted an earth station network licence. Nina Beebe, Kuiper Regulatory Senior Lead, said: 'There are still too many places in the UK where broadband access is unreliable or where it doesn’t exist at all, and LEO systems like Project Kuiper can play an important role in helping connect those beyond the reach of existing networks.' But where satellite internet is concerned, Bezos' Project Kuiper has so far lagged behind. Bezos plans to launch more than 3,000. Musk, 53, has led the way so far with Starlink which has almost 7,000 satellites now in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Project Kuiper Starlink Satellite Internet Amazon Ofcom UK Broadband Connectivity Elon Musk
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