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Europe's Top Four Telecoms Discuss Consortium to Counter Starlink
Communications · Major Telecommunications · yonhap_finance · 2026-09-08
Major European telecom operators are exploring a consortium to bid for satellite spectrum, aiming to challenge SpaceX's Starlink in satellite-to-phone connectivity.
What Happened
Consortium Formation: Europe's four largest telecommunications companies—Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Vodafone, and Telefonica—are in talks to form a consortium. The goal is to develop a unified approach to satellite-to-phone connectivity to compete directly with Elon Musk's Starlink.
Spectrum Bidding Strategy: The group is looking to jointly bid for satellite spectrum that the European Union plans to allocate. The EU is considering reserving a significant portion of this spectrum for local operators, which would provide a strategic advantage to the European consortium.
Market Competition: Starlink has previously sought partnerships with European carriers but now faces potential regulatory hurdles as the EU moves to prioritize local companies. The European telecom giants are positioning themselves to maintain control over regional satellite broadband services.
EU Satellite Initiatives: Beyond the spectrum auction, the EU is developing its own independent satellite network, Iris2, scheduled for operation by 2029. This collaborative effort by major carriers underscores Europe's broader push for technological sovereignty in the satellite communications sector.