Ofcom is the UK’s communications regulator, created in 2003 by merging several older regulatory bodies into one super-bureaucracy. Its remit covers television, radio, fixed and mobile telecoms, spectrum management, and, increasingly, space and satellite licensing. For UK satellite operators and foreign constellations eyeing British customers, Ofcom is the gatekeeper.

On the orbital side, Ofcom issues spectrum licenses for GEO operators like Inmarsat or Avanti, and is the body that handles filings at the ITU on behalf of the UK government. It also regulates earth stations, user terminals, and spectrum allocations for LEO constellations. Companies like OneWeb, Starlink, and Rivada cannot operate in the UK without Ofcom’s approval.

Where it gets political is in how Ofcom manages interference and spectrum auctions. The UK has pushed a relatively open policy toward new LEO entrants, approving Starlink’s services quickly while trying to balance national projects like OneWeb. Ofcom also has to enforce coordination between satellite operators and terrestrial 5G networks, a balancing act that rarely makes anyone happy.

Ofcom’s role is not glamorous, but it is decisive. It does not build satellites, but it can dictate who operates them and on what terms. Its decisions ripple beyond the UK, since ITU filings and cross-border coordination often hinge on Ofcom’s regulatory stance. For industry players, Ofcom is less a market opportunity than a hurdle, one that can either smooth entry into Europe or tie you up in paperwork.

The reality is that Ofcom is a policy instrument. It enforces spectrum discipline, protects national orbital slots, and tries to manage interference in a crowded sky. Operators may not love it, but in the UK market there is no way around it.