Europe: Sovereignty, Operators and the 2 GHz Decision
How is Europe approaching direct-to-device, and can it build a European system before American providers dominate?
Chapter summary
Europe is pursuing three tracks at once.
Key takeaways
- 1
Its mobile operators have formed their own satellite ventures so that they are not dependent on SpaceX: Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile's SatCo joint venture, based in Luxembourg, plans a European constellation with a ground station network across the EU; and a group of operators is reported to be studying further European options.
- 2
The European Union is using the 2 GHz MSS band, whose licences expire in May 2027, to shape the market, reserving a third of it for governmental use linked to IRIS².
- 3
And national regulators, led by Ofcom in the UK, have legalised D2D in mobile bands so that operators can begin services with existing partners.
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