Four of Europe’s leading telecommunications companies are considering a joint effort to launch satellite mobile services that would offer direct-to-device connectivity across the continent, aiming to challenge the dominance of Elon Musk’s Starlink. Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, and Vodafone announced they had signed a letter of intent to explore a coordinated bid for radio-wave spectrum rights necessary to support such services.
The initiative comes amid rising geopolitical frictions surrounding satellite telecommunications technology between the European Union and the United States. In May, the European Commission proposed reserving the 2 GHz frequency band—a part of the spectrum that allows smartphones to connect directly to satellites—specifically for European operators. This band is currently licensed to two U.S. companies, Viasat and EchoStar, with their licenses set to expire next year.
The Commission’s plan has became a point of contention with U.S. officials. The American ambassador to the European Union recently warned of potential “devastating” retaliatory measures should the EU proceed with the spectrum reservation, arguing that the proposal unfairly disadvantages U.S. firms, including Starlink.
SpaceX, the operator of Starlink, has criticized the European initiative because it could reduce connectivity quality in Ukraine, where its satellite service has played a critical role in both civilian and military communications since the Russian invasion began. The disruption of Starlink services amid tensions between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has added to the controversy surrounding the satellite platform in recent weeks.
Despite these challenges, the joint satellite venture by the European telecom groups has reportedly received quiet support from EU officials. The bloc is keen to lessen its dependence on key digital infrastructure supplied by non-European companies as part of a broader strategy to enhance technological sovereignty.
Under the proposed plan, the companies would build the necessary terrestrial infrastructure, such as ground stations, to enable satellite connectivity throughout Europe. Rather than launching their own satellite constellations, the telecom providers would collaborate with existing satellite operators to deliver their services.
As the landscape of satellite communications continues to evolve, Europe’s biggest telecom operators are seeking to assert greater control over critical infrastructure, even as transatlantic tensions over spectrum allocation and market access persist.