Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Vodafone and Telefónica are negotiating the creation of a consortium to dispute European Union satellite spectrum and advance with direct-to-mobile connectivity services. The four major European operators intend to join together to face competition from Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite internet company.
The main objective of the consortium is to secure access to EU satellite spectrum, which would enable European operators to offer connectivity services directly to their customers' mobile phones, without the need for additional equipment. This strategy represents an attempt to maintain control over telecommunications infrastructure in Europe.
The formation of this consortium comes in a context of growing competition in the space sector, where private companies such as Starlink have been rapidly expanding their satellite network. The European operators want to ensure that the European satellite connectivity market is not dominated by non-European companies.
