Euro telcos explore mobile satellite, D2D opportunities

Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone have signed a Letter of Intent to explore a potential joint bid for the future allocation of spectrum for Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) in Europe.

The initiative supports the European Commission’s ambition to strengthen Europe’s sovereignty, security and resilience in critical connectivity infrastructure. It will ensure responsible European governance of key space infrastructure. In addition, it will provide all Mobile Network Operators with open and non-discriminatory access to offer Direct-to-Device (D2D) services to their customers. These services would be offered through a model designed to foster competition, reduce market fragmentation and expand consumer choice across Europe.

By combining the operators’ extensive customer reach, network capabilities and operational expertise, the initiative could accelerate market deployment, enable efficient use of spectrum and facilitate the seamless integration of satellite connectivity into existing mobile networks.

The joint initiative by Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone has a clear ambition: to meet customer demand for universal coverage in underserved areas, strengthen the resilience of public networks, protect critical communications, and support the development of a European constellation.

As part of the project, the four operators plan to establish key ground network infrastructure as well as critical coordination and monitoring functions in Europe, without investing directly in a satellite constellation. This will be provided by a satellite partner still to be selected.

The partnership between the MNO-led initiative and the satellite operator would combine European governance and market access with proven satellite technology and deployment expertise.

This Letter of Intent to explore a potential joint bid for MSS spectrum does not replace existing satellite partnerships.

Reacting to the new,  Luke Kehoe, Lead Industry Analyst at Ookla, commented: “Behind the sovereignty dressing here is a very commercial concern. Europe’s operators want to avoid becoming effectively MVNOs for satellite coverage, selling somebody else’s service on somebody else’s terms. Starlink’s push into the US mobile market makes that concern harder to ignore and has launched MNOs into a defensive posture. Securing MSS spectrum would give them a stronger hand in negotiations. The sovereignty claim will also be tested in the satellite contract itself. European spectrum rights and ground infrastructure only go so far when a separate partner controls the constellation. And independent MVNOs and their customers need to benefit on fair terms too. Many will highlight that sovereignty should not become a licence to protect incumbents from competition, so Brussels is increasingly being forced to walk a fine line between the two competing objectives.”

Categories: Articles, Broadband, Business, Companion devices, MNO, Mobile, Policy, Regulation, Satellite, Spectrum

Tags: d2d, Deutsche Telekom, Mobile Satellite Services, Orange, telefonica, Vodafone

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