Major European mobile carriers are teaming up for a 'direct' satellite program without Starlink

Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, and Vodafone have signed a letter of intent to explore a joint bid for spectrum supporting a European direct-to-device satellite service meant to compete with SpaceX's Starlink. The four carriers said the initiative aims to serve customers in underserved areas, make public networks more resilient, protect critical communications, and support development of a European satellite constellation. The move sets up a European answer to Starlink, with the carriers positioning the project around European governance rather than a single company's network.

Under the plan, the four operators would build the ground network infrastructure and handle coordination and monitoring functions in Europe. They would not invest directly in a satellite constellation; that piece would come from a satellite partner that has not yet been chosen. The carriers described the arrangement as pairing European governance and market access with proven satellite technology and deployment expertise from that partner. No satellite operator has been named, and no timeline for a spectrum bid was given.

The European effort has a parallel in the United States. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon announced their own collaboration earlier this year, combining spectrum in rural areas and dead zones to increase capacity, improve the customer experience, and let satellite providers reach more customers through a unified platform. That US arrangement, like the European one, is built on partnerships between terrestrial carriers and satellite providers rather than a single integrated network.

The European project also lands amid a policy fight over spectrum. In May, the EU said it was considering a plan to reserve some of the 2 GHz band for local companies to offer satellite services. SpaceX has criticized that idea, claiming it would worsen service in Ukraine, according to a Financial Times report cited by The Verge.

For US readers, the comparison is direct: the American carrier tie-up is already underway, while the European carriers are still at the letter-of-intent stage and have yet to secure a satellite partner. The four companies' stated aim is universal coverage in underserved areas, network resilience, and protected critical communications across Europe.

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