Uzbekistan’s Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov met with the leadership of satellite operator Eutelsat OneWeb on September 24. Following the talks, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding covering satellite communications, digital infrastructure and modern telecom technologies.
Eutelsat OneWeb already works in Uzbekistan through local partner UZSAT. Now the company says it’s ready to launch its own services in the country and expects them to go live soon.
French Ambassador to Uzbekistan Walid Fouque and Alisher Khaitmetov, president of the French-Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFO), also joined the meeting. Eutelsat OneWeb’s delegation included Hani El Arja, vice president of sales for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Central Asia and China, and senior sales director Ahmet Eren.
The two sides discussed how satellites could expand the country’s communications networks and access to high-speed internet. Two options were on the table for connecting remote communities, schools and medical facilities: satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO) and OneWeb’s low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation.
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Satellite links for transport and aviation got separate attention. Such links have already been trialed on Polish rail: in September, rail operator PKP Intercity tested OneWeb internet on one of its trains.
Another topic was additional and backup links for national telecom networks, data centers and critical infrastructure. The ministry believes such solutions could make the country’s communications systems more resilient and expand options for backup connections to international networks.
The sides also discussed the possibility of Uzbekistan becoming a regional telecom hub that could offer satellite services not only at home but also to neighboring countries. They agreed to keep working on practical projects in satellite technology, telecommunications and digital transformation.
Eutelsat OneWeb isn’t the only foreign satellite operator eyeing Uzbekistan. In September, it emerged that Amazon Leo, Amazon’s satellite internet service, is entering the Uzbek market.
