“Eutelsat stated that negotiations with the EU to replace Musk’s Starlink in Ukraine are intensifyingThe French operator Eutelsat is ready to replace Starlink terminals in Ukraine and is in talks with the EU. The company will need
several months to provide 40,000 terminals, subject to financial support.”, — write: unn.ua
Details
“Today everyone is asking us: ‘Can you replace a large number of Starlink terminals in Ukraine?’ and we are considering it,” said Eutelsat CEO Eva Berneke in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Thursday.
The company is already operating in Ukraine and currently has thousands of terminals there, but not all are online, Berneke said. She is negotiating with suppliers to provide military-grade terminals and standard terminals, and to supply 40,000 will take “a few months,” she added. Approximately that many Starlink terminals are in use in the country, the publication writes.
According to Berneke, Eutelsat will need financial and logistical support to quickly increase the number of terminals in Ukraine.
“The Commission recognizes the strategic importance of sovereign, secure, and reliable European satellite communication,” said European Commission spokesman Thomas Renier, adding that discussions with the industry are ongoing.
Eutelsat’s products cannot be directly compared to Starlink, and the company’s terminals are not as cheap and mobile as those offered by Musk’s company, the publication points out.
Eutelsat’s OneWeb network has over 600 satellites in orbit at an altitude of 1200 kilometers above the Earth. 7000 Starlink satellites are lower, at a distance of 550 kilometers. A lower orbit means more satellites are needed to cover the globe, and they have a shorter lifespan, but it also provides faster connections and is better suited for communication, the publication notes.
According to Berneke, Eutelsat is negotiating with Italy to ensure secure satellite communication. The company manages the second-largest portfolio of satellites in low Earth orbit after Starlink.
Eutelsat’s shares soared more than six times in the first three days of the week after EU politicians promised to increase defense spending. Shares fell by 25% to €5.89 at 12:54 in Paris on Thursday.
Eutelsat is ready to replace Elon Musk’s Starlink in Ukraine: what the French operator offers04.03.25, 14:00 • 20735 views