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 tied to direct-to-device satellite services in Europe. The target is straightforward: build a homegrown alternative to SpaceX’s Starlink for places mobile networks still miss.

The plan is split in two. The carriers say they would handle the ground infrastructure, while a separate satellite partner — not yet named — would provide the constellation itself. That division of labor matters, because the group is not trying to become a full satellite operator overnight. It wants to sit between the phone network and the sky.

Their pitch goes beyond consumer convenience. The companies say the effort is meant to meet demand for universal coverage in underserved areas, make public networks more resilient, protect critical communications, and support the development of advanced services. That is a lot to put on one satellite program, but it also shows how badly Europe wants a non-Starlink option.

For now, this is only a letter of intent, not a finished deal. But the names on it are a sign that Europe’s biggest carriers are no longer content to watch satellite-to-phone connectivity get defined elsewhere.