EU Telecom Giants to Form Alliance to Fend Off SpaceX

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Several major European telecom companies, including Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Vodafone, and Telefonica, are forming a consortium to bid for 2 GHz satellite spectrum reserved by the EU for regional operators and to develop direct-to-mobile satellite services. This initiative aims to reduce Europe’s reliance on non-European technology, compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink, and strengthen sovereign control over critical communications infrastructure.

Some of Europe’s largest telecommunications companies are joining forces to establish a consortium aimed at securing satellite spectrum and launching direct-to-mobile services in an effort to counter growing competition from Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network.

Deutsche Telekom AG, Orange SA, Vodafone Group Plc, and Telefonica SA announced Monday that they are considering a joint bid for a portion of the airwaves that the European Union has proposed reserving for regional operators. This initiative aligns with the EU’s broader objective to enhance sovereign satellite capabilities and reduce reliance on non-European technology providers.

The consortium’s potential joint bid would target spectrum in the 2 GHz band, where the EU plans to allocate a third of the capacity to local companies and reserve another third exclusively for critical communications. Current licenses for this band, held by Viasat Inc. and EchoStar Corp., are set to expire in 2027. The new regulations are intended to facilitate direct-to-mobile services, which allow satellite constellations to provide voice, data, and text services directly to standard mobile handsets—a market segment where Starlink currently holds significant presence.

The European telecom operators plan to develop the necessary ground infrastructure and operating systems themselves. Following this, they would partner with an as-yet unnamed satellite provider to complement their networks and offer wholesale coverage to customers. Vodafone, which previously entered a joint venture with US-based AST SpaceMobile Inc. to deliver direct-to-mobile satellite services, indicated that this new collaboration would not replace existing partnerships.

This European move reflects a similar strategy undertaken in the United States, where major carriers AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., and Deutsche Telekom’s subsidiary T-Mobile US Inc. have cooperated in anticipation of competition from SpaceX’s satellite-based mobile services. The coordinated approach by European operators represents a push to secure a foothold in an emerging market while safeguarding critical communications infrastructure within the EU.

The consortium’s efforts highlight growing concerns within the European Union about technological dependence on American companies, seeking to foster greater regional autonomy in key telecommunications sectors as satellite technology increasingly reshapes mobile connectivity.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.