Four European Carriers Team Up for Satellite Spectrum Opportunity
Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica, Orange, and Vodafone have signed a letter of intent to investigate a shared bid for mobile satellite service spectrum. Their plan calls for building terrestrial network infrastructure in Europe and working with a satellite operator still to be chosen to enable direct-to-device links. The move follows an EU proposal to divide 2 GHz MSS rights among government, commercial, and open categories, with the carriers potentially seeking access to security and commercial portions.
The four operators’ letter of intent follows a European Commission proposal, made roughly half a year earlier, for licensing 2 GHz MSS spectrum. That plan would divide rights into three parts: government use for critical and security communications, EU-only commercial uses such as direct-to-device and IoT, and an open category for any satellite operator.
The carriers’ announcement hints they may pursue both the security and commercial portions, though no specific target has been confirmed. The venture also faces market questions: Orange’s infrastructure executive has noted that more than 98% of Europe already has terrestrial coverage, while Deutsche Telekom describes satellites as complementary rather than a replacement for terrestrial capacity and reliability.
If the bid proceeds, a European-led direct-to-device service could extend coverage to people in underserved or remote areas and may add resilience for critical communications. Mobile users, emergency responders, and businesses relying on continuous connectivity could benefit, while operators and satellite partners may shape pricing and access. Because most Europeans already have terrestrial coverage, the practical impact may depend on affordability, service quality, and whether the model truly broadens competition rather than concentrating control of scarce spectrum.