Ofcom grants Amazon a satellite broadband licenceOfcom grants Amazon a satellite broadband licence

Meanwhile, the UK government is also getting in on the act, allocating funding to a pair of projects in the satellite space. Relatively speaking, we're looking at pocket change, but the move serves as a further sign that the satellite market is hotting up on this side of the Atlantic.

The headlines are, understandably, focused on Amazon though. The UK telecoms regulator has granted an earth station network licence to Amazon's Kuiper. That essentially means that the company has the green light to provide satellite connectivity services, including high-speed and low-latency broadband, to UK customers.

Just to be clear, given that this announcement comes in the wake of Vodafone's satellite-based video call with AST SpaceMobile, this is not about Kuiper launching direct-to-device mobile services in the UK. Not imminently, at least.

Direct-to-device is on Amazon's radar. It said as much in its response to Ofcom's market consultation on that very subject last year.

"Amazon is exploring options for D2D services and is seeking to develop the most versatile technical solutions for D2D offerings," it said at the time.

Initially though, Kuiper is a more traditional satellite service, that would require users to purchase specific satellite broadband terminals, rather than serving as a mobile network coverage extension.

That's the plan, at least. Kuiper has yet to launch any satellites, barring a couple of prototype devices, so its aim of connecting its first customers in 2025, as outlined last summer, is in some doubt.

Kuiper is unlikely to take the UK market by storm any time soon. Like many other global markets though, it is a hive of activity when it comes to satellite services.

Ofcom accompanied its Kuiper announcement with the news that it is releasing more spectrum in the 28 GHz and 32 GHz bands that is particularly useful for fixed links and satellite connectivity services. The regulator also said it will not introduce a new process to directly authorise satellite gateways in 28 GHz frequencies licensed to Spectrum Access licensees at this time and will instead rely on existing market mechanisms to manage sharing.

"In line with our mission to support innovation, investment and growth, today's decisions provide further opportunity for new services delivering better connectivity for people and businesses in the UK - and particularly to those in harder to reach rural communities," said Nina Percival, Director of Spectrum Management and Authorisation at Ofcom, in a statement.

The UK government is also looking at opportunities in the satellite space. On Monday it announced that two projects will share £16 million in funding from the UK Space Agency's Connectivity in Low Earth Orbit (C-LEO) programme, which represents around a tenth of the programme's budget.

£10 million will go to EnSilica for the development of novel silicon chips and software for a user terminal that will be compatible with UK and European constellations like OneWeb, while Excelerate Technology will receive £6 million to develop the small and flexible Mobility and Autonomy Market User Terminal (MAMUT) that will allow users to choose the operator and orbit via an app, reducing costs and enhancing global configurability, the UK Space Agency explained.

"These Government backed projects will not only provide significant advancements in mobile communication, but help to bridge the digital divide, connecting communities in the most hard-to-reach areas," said Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant, in a statement.

That's hard to argue with. But the government's insistence that funding the aforementioned projects, and presumably those like them, will "position the UK at the forefront of the latest advancements in satellite communications" feels like a bit of a reach, given that £16 million is a drop in the ocean when it comes to satellite investment.

"The funding will enable UK industry to capture a greater portion of the satellite mega-constellation market by developing technology that improves their efficiency and capability," the government also said. And that feels much more measured.