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posted by Fnord666 on Wednesday July 31 2019, @10:39PM   Printer-friendly
from the no-internet-for-you! dept.

Russia Denies OneWeb's Satellite Internet Request:

A firm that plans to launch hundreds of satellites into orbit to provide worldwide internet coverage has failed in its latest attempt to get approval in Russia.

OneWeb, whose headquarters are in the UK, was seeking to use a certain band of radio frequencies in Russia.

However, the State Commission for Radio Frequencies has denied it permission to do so.

OneWeb has been trying to get approval for its Russian operations since 2017.

The company was founded by US entrepreneur Greg Wyler. It launched its first six satellites, out of a proposed 650, into orbit in February.

In 2017, Russia's communications authority Roskomnadzor blocked OneWeb from offering services in the country.

And the Federal Security Service (FSB) said that the satellites could be used for espionage.

Of note is that OneWeb is using Russian rockets and launch sites to deploy its satellites.


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  • (Score: 2) by legont on Wednesday July 31 2019, @11:57PM (4 children)

    by legont (4179) on Wednesday July 31 2019, @11:57PM (#873787)

    Russian concern is probably not the censorship, but the reliance on technology from a country known for denying it to other countries at difficult moments (aka sanctions).

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  • (Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday August 01 2019, @12:14AM (3 children)

    by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Thursday August 01 2019, @12:14AM (#873792) Journal

    The satellites are still going to be in orbit whether or not Russians can use them.

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    • (Score: 2) by legont on Thursday August 01 2019, @12:33AM (2 children)

      by legont (4179) on Thursday August 01 2019, @12:33AM (#873800)

      That's fine as far as Russia is concerned. It probably does not care that much if some folks would use them to watch gay porn. However, Russia does not want them to be used for critical infrastructure and since it would be illegal the chances would be low.

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      "Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
      • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 01 2019, @02:07AM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 01 2019, @02:07AM (#873822)

        In Russia [wikipedia.org]:

        First countrywide judicial censorship measures were taken by the government in the wake of the 2011–13 Russian protests. This included the Internet blacklist law, implemented in November 2012. The criteria for inclusion in the blacklist initially included child pornography, advocating suicide and illegal drugs. In 2013, the blacklist law was amended with content "suspected in extremism", "calling for illegal meetings", "inciting hatred" and "violating the established order".

        The law allowed for flexible interpretation and inclusion of a wide array of content. Popular opposition websites encouraging protests against the court rulings in Bolotnaya Square case were for example blocked for "calling for illegal action"; Dumb Ways to Die, a public transport safety video, was blocked as "suicide propaganda"; websites discussing federalization of Siberia—as "attack on the foundations of the constitution"; an article on a gay activist being fired from job as well as LGBT support communities—as "propaganda of non-traditional sex relations"; publishing Pussy Riot logo—as "insult of the feelings of believers"; criticism of overspending of local governor—"insult of the authorities"; publishing a poem in support of Ukraine—"inciting hatred" etc. A separate class of materials blocked due to "extremism" are several religious publications, mostly Muslim and Jehovah's Witnesses. Bans can be challenged in courts, and in some cases these appeals are successful.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 01 2019, @02:12AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 01 2019, @02:12AM (#873824)

          Also in Oz [wikipedia.org].