A Sydney partner leads as the communications company aims for the skies
.jpg)
Bird & Bird’s international satellite team, headed by one of its Sydney-based partners, is helping a client with an ambitious globe-spanning project.
The firm is advising OneWeb on the launch of its network of low-earth-orbit satellites, which are planned to facilitate access to high-speed broadband and mobile services, including in rural, remote, and underdeveloped areas.
The network, described by the firm as a “constellation of satellites,” now has six satellites in orbit after a launch from Kourou, French Guiana on 27 February. Bird & Bird said that larger-scale launches will continue throughout the year.
With a team headed by partner Thomas Jones, Bird & Bird is providing OneWeb with legal and regulatory advice, as well as handling arrangements across many countries.
Jones, who jointly heads the firm’s satellites and space activities, said that Bird & Bird is deeply entrenched in technology and how it is changing the digital world.
“OneWeb has the potential to genuinely change the way the world communicates, enabling a more connected global economy,” he said.
