Greg Wyler

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Greg Wyler
Gregory Thane Wyler.jpg
Greg Wyler in 2015

Gregory Thane Wyler is an American tech entrepreneur, engineer, and inventor. He was the founder and executive chairman of OneWeb [1] and the founder of O3b Networks.

Contents

Business ventures

Wyler spent four years developing telecommunications in Africa in rural locations. In 2003, [2] he built a local team and connected over 200 schools to the Internet, providing the first 3G and fiber connections to residences on the continent. [3] In 2006 his company Terracom acquired 99% control of Rwandatel, [4] although the government of Rwanda then bought Rwandtel back in 2007. [5] [6]

In 2007, he founded O3b Networks, Ltd. [1] The idea[ clarification needed ] was first conceived in 2005 while working on a project to provide a nationwide telephone service in rural Rwanda, attempting to wire the post-war and economically shattered country. [7] O3b has launched 12 satellites.

In 2012, [8] Wyler founded OneWeb with the mission of "enabling Internet access for everyone". [9]

On 1 August 2016, satellite operator SES S.A. completed the acquisition of O3b Networks. [10]

In March 2020. OneWeb entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy after failing to raise enough capital to complete the build and deployment of its satellite constellation. [11] OneWeb exited bankruptcy with new investment, but Wyler was no longer involved with the company. [12]


Wyler founded satellite communications company E-Space in 2022, to create a network of satellites providing services targeting governments and businesses. [13] [14] [15]

Awards and recognition

In 2015, Wyler received the Arthur C. Clarke award for Innovation [16] and the 2B AHEAD Innovators Award. [17] In 2017, Wyler was voted the Top Rising Star in Wireless by Fierce Wireless [18] and later that year, The Most Powerful Person in Telecommunications. [19] In 2018, he was inducted into the French Legion of Honour. [20]

References

  1. 1 2 Winkler, Rolfe (14 January 2015). "Greg Wyler's OneWeb Satellite-Internet Company Secures Funding". Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  2. ↑ Nixon, Ron (2007-07-22). "Africa, Offline: Waiting for the Web (Published 2007)". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  3. ↑ Vance, Ashlee (22 January 2015). "The New Space Race: One Man's Mission to Build a Galactic Internet". bloomberg.com. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Terracom acquires RwandaTel". telecompaper.com. Telecom Paper. 2005-10-18. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
  5. ↑ "Rwanda's Government to buy back Terracom Communications". balancingact-africa.com (Issue no 365 ed.). Balancing Act. Archived from the original on 2021-03-06. Retrieved 2015-03-31.
  6. ↑ "The Sales and Purchase of 100% shares of TERRACOM sarl and its 99% shares in Rwandatel S.A" (PDF). rura.gov.rw. Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority. August 1, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  7. ↑ Nixon, Ron (2007-07-22). "Africa, Offline: Waiting for the Web (Published 2007)". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  8. ↑ "OneWeb Announces Plans to Launch a New Satellite Constellation to Bring High-Speed Internet to Underserved Areas Around the World - Business Wire". businesswire.com. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  9. ↑ "How OneWeb's Satellite Internet Could Weather Future Disasters". NBC News. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  10. ↑ "SES Completes Acquisition of 100% of O3B Networks". www.spaceref.com. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  11. ↑ Holmes, Mark (14 May 2020). "In the Eye of the Storm: Greg Wyler Breaks Cover to Talk OneWeb". Via Satellite. Access Intelligence. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  12. ↑ Amos, Jonathan (10 July 2020). "OneWeb sale to UK-Bharti group gets court approval". BBC News. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  13. ↑ Kelvey, Jon (8 February 2022). "OneWeb founder's new venture aims to make satellites that fight space debris". The Independent. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  14. ↑ FitzGerald, Drew (17 Oct 2022). "The 5G Space Race: A host of aerospace companies and startups are vying to develop satellite networks that can talk to smartphones". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  15. ↑ Hollinger, Peggy (2 February 2022). "Founder of OneWeb to join tech's race for space". Financial Times. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  16. ↑ "Innovator Award to Greg Wyler - The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation". clarkefoundation.org. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  17. ↑ "2b AHEAD - Greg Wyler: The new Space Race for Galactic Internet". 24 May 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016– via YouTube.
  18. ↑ "OneWeb's Greg Wyler voted the top Rising Star in wireless". FierceWireless. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  19. ↑ "OneWeb's Greg Wyler voted most powerful executive in telecom for 2017". FierceWireless. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
  20. ↑ "The shattering comeback of the enfant terrible of space - Think Rich. Be Free". Archived from the original on 2022-02-09. Retrieved 2022-02-09.


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