Europe’s four biggest mobile operators have agreed to bid together for satellite frequencies, in a move aimed squarely at Elon Musk’s Starlink. Germany’s Deutsche Telekom, Britain’s Vodafone, Spain’s Telefónica and France’s Orange signed a letter of intent on Monday to pursue mobile satellite services jointly, Yahoo Finance reported on 19 October 2026, saying the aim is to secure Europe’s independent position in space infrastructure.
Key facts
- The four operators signed a letter of intent to bid jointly for mobile satellite frequencies, according to Yahoo Finance.
- Their stated goals: nationwide coverage including underserved parts of their home markets, more resilient mobile networks, protection of critical communications and support for a European satellite constellation.
- They also plan to build ground infrastructure and keep key coordination and control functions inside Europe, the report said.
- Customers would get direct-to-device (D2D) service, with phones connecting to satellites where no mobile network exists.
- heise online, citing Politico, reported that EU telecommunications ministers met in Limerick, Ireland, to discuss a legislative proposal easing European operators’ access to the frequencies.
- The two reports give different timings for when the spectrum frees up (see below).
Why it matters
The contested prize is satellite service delivered straight to ordinary handsets — the segment heise online describes as Starlink’s area of growing dominance under the label “Direct to Cell”. heise online reported that SpaceX, Starlink’s parent company, has high hopes of securing frequencies to offer mobile services directly, without going through local telecoms partners, which would put massive pressure on traditional European network operators.
For readers outside Europe, the fight matters because it sets the template for how regulators elsewhere treat satellite-to-phone licensing, and because it feeds a wider push for non-American capacity after Starshield outages exposed how much Europe leans on SpaceX.
What the operators say they will build
Yahoo Finance reported that the focus is on white spots — areas with no mobile coverage at all — where users would in future be connected to satellites instead. The frequencies at stake are currently used for services such as in-flight internet connections, according to the same report.
The group’s plan is not only about spectrum. The companies intend to build the ground segment and the coordination and control functions in Europe, Yahoo Finance said, and to support the development of a European satellite constellation.
The frequency fight in Brussels
heise online reported that French President Emmanuel Macron had already called at the most recent space summit in Paris for leading European players to form an alliance to strengthen the continent’s collective satellite capacities. What was read then as an appeal for European sovereignty is, according to Politico as cited by heise online, turning out to be a targeted political move against Starlink.
The regulatory piece centres on the 2 GHz satellite communication band, whose reallocation the EU is preparing for 2027, heise online reported. It said the framework under discussion in Brussels aims to design the licensing process so that European operators are favoured, and that the European Commission is examining how far the spectrum — which allows data to be transmitted further than higher frequencies — can be reserved primarily for domestic companies.
According to heise online, MEPs have made clear that global satellite communication must not be entirely in the hands of non-European companies. It named Angelika Winzig, the lead negotiator in the EU Parliament, and Michał Kobosko of the European People’s Party as among those driving the initiatives, with Kobosko seeking through amendments to raise the hurdles for international competitors.
Where the two reports diverge
The timelines do not match. heise online wrote that the critical frequencies will be available in the coming year through an EU Commission tender process, alongside the 2027 reallocation of the 2 GHz band. Yahoo Finance, by contrast, reported the frequencies are likely to become free in 2029. Neither report explains the gap.
How the companies and SpaceX are positioning
Michaël Trabbia of Orange confirmed the discussions to Politico, according to heise online, emphasising that the company absolutely wants to offer such a service to its customers and will by no means tolerate a single dominant player. heise online said Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom and Telefónica were initially reserved about the plans, but that political backing in Brussels was already having an effect.
Starlink has intensified its lobbying, heise online reported, citing Politico. In a confidential paper, SpaceX warns that the EU plans would deprive European consumers of reliable direct connection services and could cause global signal interference, according to that account. heise online also noted that Starlink often offers rapid assistance in crises — it cited Ukraine and wildfires in France and Spain — to demonstrate its relevance, and that experts including Célestine Rabouam of the French Institute of Geopolitics assess this as a calculated strategy. That framing echoes the arguments of security chiefs calling for sovereign control of satellite links.
Background: the European alternatives
Established European corporations point instead to terrestrial networks and European options, deliberately leaving Starlink out of the picture, heise online reported, naming Eutelsat among those alternatives — the operator behind Eutelsat’s OneWeb network.
The EU’s own project could also be decisive. heise online said IRIS², the bloc’s planned multi-orbit constellation, is being considered as a Starlink alternative intended to guarantee secure and sovereign satellite infrastructure, providing governmental and commercial users with fail-safe broadband and communication services independent of non-European providers.
heise online added that the strategic importance of space is coming into sharper focus given geopolitical conflicts and growing security requirements, and that Musk has made clear Starlink intends to expand its dominance in low Earth orbit, where satellites orbiting at low altitudes enable particularly fast, low-latency connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does direct-to-device (D2D) actually mean for a normal phone?
According to Yahoo Finance, D2D means a smartphone connects straight to a satellite in orbit in places where there is no mobile network on the ground, with no separate dish or terminal. The report adds that most smartphones do not yet have the function built in, and says it is expected to reach the mass market in the coming years.
Who will actually operate the satellites in the European project?
That has not been decided. Yahoo Finance reported it is still unclear who will operate the satellites, and said SpaceX, which runs Starlink, is not expected to be the provider because the project is about European sovereignty.
Is any of the four operators already working with Starlink?
Yes. heise online reported that Deutsche Telekom — which it calls the Magenta group — is currently cooperating with Starlink to enable mobile phone reception via space, even as it joins the European alliance.
How much territory in Germany has no mobile coverage at all?
Yahoo Finance cited figures from Germany’s Federal Network Agency for June showing that 1.2% of Germany’s land area was a white spot for Deutsche Telekom, 1.7% for Vodafone and 1.6% for O2 Telefónica. White spots are areas where not even the outdated 2G network is available, the report said.
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