Four European Carriers Explore Joint Satellite Spectrum Bid

Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone have agreed to explore a possible joint bid for European mobile-satellite spectrum, an initial step that does not commit them to submit an application or establish a satellite service. The four operators signed a letter of intent on October 19. Under the model they describe, they would build and manage ground infrastructure in Europe and coordinate and monitor the network. A satellite partner, not yet selected, would provide the spacecraft. The companies say they do not plan to fund a satellite constellation themselves. The proposed service would connect regular mobile phones to satellites and complement existing mobile networks. The operators say other mobile providers would have open, nondiscriminatory access to offer direct-to-device services. They have described underserved areas and public-network resilience as potential aims, not demonstrated results. The announcement does not name a service launch date or a timetable for deciding whether to pursue a bid. The effort would depend on both a satellite provider and access to spectrum. The European Commission proposed an EU-wide authorization process for the harmonized 2 GHz...