EU project to rival Starlink must meet buyer expectations, Eutelsat CEO says

Core Viewpoint - Eutelsat emphasizes that the upcoming IRIS2 satellite network must meet customer expectations regarding pricing and performance to be commercially viable, especially in comparison to competitors like Starlink and Amazon's LEO [1] Group 1: Project Overview - The IRIS2 satellite network has a budget of approximately 10.6 billion euros ($12.6 billion) and is expected to start operating around 2029 [1] - Eutelsat plans to launch its next-generation OneWeb satellites alongside IRIS2 after 2030, with the new satellites being significantly more advanced than the current fleet [1] Group 2: Market Competition - Major telecom companies, including Orange and Deutsche Telekom, have indicated that the European system must be competitive with Starlink and Amazon's planned low Earth orbit network to attract customers [1] - Orange and Telekom executives highlighted that performance, security, and cost will be key factors influencing customer choice in satellite services [1] Group 3: Industry Insights - Eutelsat's CEO, JeanFrançois Fallacher, noted that the market is expecting competitive services and pricing, reflecting sentiments from industry leaders [1] - The current first-generation fleet of OneWeb satellites, consisting of 600 units, is based on technology that is a decade old, while U.S. competitors are advancing with newer satellite deployments [1]