Eutelsat in talks with Euro leaders as they mull Starlink replacement in Ukraine

March 7, 2025
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  OneWeb, Starlink, Ukraine
 

By Richard Speed,
Published by The Register, 7 March 2025

Increasingly shaky relationship with the States has Europe considering options

Talks are underway between European leaders and Eutelsat about a possible replacement for Starlink in Ukraine.

Elon Musk’s Starlink has proven invaluable during the conflict following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The satellite broadband tech has helped military units remain in contact and provided a resilient link in the country’s communication network.

However, Starlink is not the only option for satellite connectivity, and Eutelsat CEO Eva Berneke said in an interview with Bloomberg TV that talks with European leaders “had intensified” and the question was now being asked – could Eutelsat replace Starlink?

The idea of relying on a US company to provide this critical piece of infrastructure is under increasing scrutiny in light of the US administration pausing intelligence-sharing with Ukraine and announcing a review of its relationship with the country.

The US also reportedly paused offensive cyber operations against Russia. Amid the mixed messaging, European leaders aren’t willing to rely on Starlink, considering how it is funded in Ukraine and the antics of the person in charge of the constellation.

Eutelsat merged with Starlink rival OneWeb in 2022. Unlike Starlink, which uses a constellation of thousands of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), the combined Eutelsat and OneWeb operate a smaller number in higher orbits. The company has made steady progress over the years yet still trails Starlink. However, recent events have given the company an unexpected boost as non-US entities investigate how to reduce their dependence on the country.

Joanna Darlington, Chief Communications and Investor Relations Officer for Eutelsat, told The Register that, over Europe, Eutelsat offers the same capabilities as Starlink in terms of coverage and latency, and the company’s LEO services were already deployed in Ukraine.

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Darlington also noted that Eutelsat’s Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) services could provide extra capacity and strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure connectivity.

There are some challenges, though. First, there is the cost. A OneWeb terminal comes in at around the $10,000 mark compared to a Starlink unit’s $600 or so. However, the actual price paid can vary significantly. Both companies’ visions also differ – Starlink is focused on individual consumers, while OneWeb is all about serving businesses.

A more significant problem is one of scale. While OneWeb is already in Ukraine, Starlink has many more terminals already on the ground that would need to be replaced – a rough estimate is 40,000. Berneke said Eutelsat had a few thousand terminals in stock but must scale up the manufacturing of consumer and military-grade terminals if the need materialized. Eutelsat does not make its terminals and instead relies on industry partners.

Darlington said: “We are actively collaborating with European institutions and business partners to enable the swift deployment of additional user terminals for critical missions and infrastructure.”

Eutelsat already has approximately 2,000 terminals in Ukraine. Berneke said reaching 40,000 would take “probably a couple of months, but it’s not years.”

The Register asked Starlink to comment, but received no reply.

See: Original Article