Ofcom frees up more satellite airwaves for internet links on UK planes and ships
The regulator has widened the radio frequencies that aircraft and vessels can use to connect to satellites, with UK-registered craft able to use them from early 2027.
Planes and ships registered in the UK will be able to use a wider range of radio frequencies to talk to satellites from early 2027, after Ofcom confirmed the change on Friday. The satellite links are what carry internet connections to and from aircraft and vessels, including the services passengers use on board.
The regulator published its final decision on 23 October, following a consultation that ran from June to August this year.
What has changed
The equipment that connects a moving plane or ship to a satellite is known in the industry as an "earth station in motion". Ofcom is extending the licences that cover this kit so it can send signals in extra slices of the Ku and Ka bands, two ranges of frequencies widely used for satellite broadband.
The new frequencies cover links to both kinds of satellite in use today:
- Geostationary satellites, which sit far above the equator and appear fixed in the sky.
- Non-geostationary satellites, including the large networks of lower-orbit satellites that have been launched in recent years.
Ofcom said the frequencies match the international rules set by the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations agency that coordinates radio spectrum around the world. That matters for aircraft and ships, which cross borders all the time.
Much of the new spectrum can be used in UK airspace and territorial waters, and all of it can be used over international waters and airspace, subject to local and international rules. Ofcom has also updated the licences for aircraft and ship radios and the list of protected airfields.
What it could mean for travellers
The change gives airlines, ferry operators and other ship owners more room to run satellite services. Coverage of the decision by the broadband news site ISPreview noted that the aim is to support better speeds and more resilient connections, along with more modern messaging at sea for things like severe weather warnings and the closure of bridges and locks.
Whether passengers notice a difference will depend on operators choosing to use the extra capacity. Ofcom's decision opens the door, but it is up to airlines and shipping firms to upgrade equipment and services.
A second change on the ground
In a separate decision on the same day, Ofcom said satellite operators can now apply to use up to 8GHz of spectrum in the higher Q/V bands for ground stations in busy urban areas. These ground stations, known as gateways, link satellite networks back into the internet on the ground. Ofcom opened up to 10GHz of the same bands for rural gateways in March.
Ofcom said it will set out on its licensing updates page when existing licence holders can ask for their licences to be changed. It also plans to consult next month on related changes to some maritime licences.
