Europe's big four carriers plan joint satellite-to-phone bid

Europe's four biggest mobile operators want to bring satellite coverage to ordinary phones together. Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone said on 19 October that they have signed a letter of intent to explore a joint bid for the future allocation of Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) spectrum in Europe, according to a joint statement also published by Telefónica.

The plan targets direct-to-device (D2D) service. Instead of needing a bulky satellite phone, a regular smartphone would connect to a satellite when no ground network is in range. The four companies list three goals: coverage in underserved areas, more resilient public networks and protection of critical communications. They also want to support the development of a European constellation.

Who builds what

The operators say they would set up the key ground network infrastructure, plus coordination and monitoring functions, in Europe. They do not plan to invest directly in satellites: the constellation would come from a satellite partner that has not been chosen yet. The idea, as they put it, is to combine European governance and market access with a partner's proven satellite technology.

The proposed service would not be limited to the four companies' own customers. The statement promises open and non-discriminatory access for all mobile network operators, so smaller carriers could offer D2D to their users too.

Why now

According to Telecompaper, the move follows the EU's plan to reserve part of these frequencies for a European company. Together, the four groups serve hundreds of millions of customers: in their own figures, Deutsche Telekom has more than 273 million mobile customers, and Vodafone serves around 370 million mobile and broadband customers. Space security is a live topic in Europe right now, as shown by the recent Russian satellite that shadowed a Finnish company's radar satellite.

What it means for phone owners today

For now, nothing changes. A letter of intent is not a final deal, the EU spectrum award is still ahead, and the companies did not say which phones would support the service or when it might launch. Satellite messaging features already offered on some phones through other partnerships are a separate matter.

Until satellite-to-phone service arrives, hikers and travellers heading off-grid still need a backup plan. A good power bank keeps a phone alive longer when it is searching for a signal.