Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone have signed a letter of intent to submit a joint application for spectrum to launch a satellite network using direct-to-device technology to connect directly to smartphones.
Partnership and role of participants
The companies plan to build ground network infrastructure across Europe and to provide coordination and monitoring of the system. They will not invest directly in the satellite constellation.
A separate partner, not yet announced, will be responsible for the satellite component. The partnership is intended to combine European project governance and access to local telecommunications markets with proven satellite technologies and deployment experience.
Goals of the initiative and frequency resources
The participants aim to meet demand for connectivity in under-served areas, increase the resilience of public networks and protect critical communications. They also aim to support the creation of a European satellite constellation.
In May the European Union (EU) said it is considering reserving part of the 2 GHz band for local companies that would provide satellite services. This approach could help foster the development of European satellite communications solutions.
Similar initiatives in the US and European plans
Earlier this year, US operators AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon announced their own collaboration to pool spectrum resources to improve connectivity in rural areas and coverage gaps.
The EU is also developing its own analogue to Starlink, planned for launch from 2029, and is building the IRIS² satellite communications system. European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius has urged countries not to spread resources across separate national projects.
