TAMPA, Fla. — Europe has proposed reserving two-thirds of 2 gigahertz mobile satellite spectrum up for renewal next year for European operators, complicating SpaceX’s direct-to-device (D2D) ambitions and the outlook for Viasat’s European Aviation Network.
The European Commission outlined plans May 27 to divide the spectrum into three equal blocks: One third would be set aside for a European operator providing dedicated government communications integrated into IRIS², the European Union’s planned sovereign connectivity constellation.
The rest would be split between a commercial block reserved for “EU operators entering the market” and another that would remain open to those based outside Europe.
“More than ever high-capacity, widely available satellite connectivity is essential to strengthen the resilience of the EU’s communication networks,” said Henna Virkkunen, EU Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.
“Our proposal will allow provision of satellite and terrestrial connectivity directly to our mobile devices, ensuring that all areas in the EU, and namely those where terrestrial networks are unavailable, are equipped with voice and broadband internet connectivity.”
