UK regulator Ofcom granted a licence to Amazon’s Project Kuiper for its broadband satellite service, paving the way for the company to launch its offering in the country.
Ofcom stated it approved an earth station network licence for the technology giant’s non-geostationary orbit satellite system, with commercial services potentially launching later this year.
In its own statement, Amazon revealed the UK would be one of the first countries to receive services once Kuiper is available and the green light puts it a step closer to expanding internet access and providing reliable, affordable and secure connectivity.
After unveiling its plans more than five years ago, Amazon stated it validated its satellite design and end-to-end network during a successful protoflight mission in 2023.
It began full-rate production in 2024 at a dedicated satellite manufacturing site in the US state of Washington.
Amazon has secured agreements for more than 80 launches to deploy its LEO satellites and is now preparing for a full-scale deployment of its constellation.
Nina Beebe, Kuiper regulatory senior lead for EMEA, said it shares Ofcom’s goal of making affordable, reliable broadband available for everyone and it appreciated the watchdog’s support.
“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.”
Separately, Ofcom also announced it is releasing further radio spectrum in the 28GHz and 32GHz bands, which are suitable for fixed and satellite connectivity services.