Satellite Mobile Communications: Telekom Challenges Starlink

Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Telefónica and Orange plan to cooperate on a European satellite-supported mobile network. They want to apply jointly for radio frequencies that enable direct connections between mobile phones and satellites. This matters because it could extend mobile coverage beyond the reach of ground-based towers and strengthen communications during disruptions.

The providers would keep their existing terrestrial infrastructure at the centre. Satellite links would fill coverage gaps, support emergency communication in underserved areas, protect critical communications and help develop a European satellite constellation. Their plan is therefore an addition to normal mobile networks, not a complete replacement.

The European Union is expected to allocate the frequencies next year, with access beginning in 2029. The providers would build the ground infrastructure themselves, but the article does not identify who would operate the satellites. Their joint bid also does not cancel Telekom's existing partnership plans with Starlink.

Direct-to-Device, or D2D, satellite communication means that an end user's mobile device connects straight to a satellite. The satellite acts as a link to the wider communications network. This can provide service where terrestrial mobile coverage is absent, including remote areas or places with coverage gaps.

The key mechanism is compatibility between the phone's radio hardware and the satellite service. A D2D-capable smartphone sends and receives signals aimed at a satellite overhead, rather than first connecting to a ground-based cell tower. The article says that devices communicate directly with satellites, but it does not describe the technical radio standards in detail.

Most smartphones currently lack the necessary D2D technology. The article expects compatible devices to become common in the mass market over the coming years. Telekom has already announced a Starlink-based offer for such connections, while the European providers are pursuing a broader network strategy.

The article identifies the spectrum only as radio frequencies that enable direct mobile connections into space. It does not state their band names, numerical ranges or exact technical standards. Those details would need to be published by the European Union or regulators when the frequencies are assigned.

In general, suitable spectrum is essential because it gives phones and satellites a shared radio channel. A compatible phone can then send a signal upward, and the satellite can return one, allowing mobile communication without a nearby tower. The assigned frequencies also determine how providers coordinate services and avoid harmful interference with other users.

The EU plans to award the relevant frequencies next year, with availability from 2029. The European providers want access for a shared system, while the European Commission has indicated that US companies should not be the only ones able to use such spectrum. The United States has announced opposition.

Germany already has measured areas without coverage from the listed mobile networks. According to figures from the Federal Network Agency cited in the article, Telekom's gap covered 1.2 percent of Germany's land area in June. Vodafone's gap covered 1.7 percent, while O2 Telefónica's covered 1.6 percent.

These figures are network-specific, so they should not be added together. They describe the area lacking coverage for each provider. The article links their future importance to the planned shutdown of the 2G network in 2028. 2G covered large areas, although its data speeds were low.

After 2G disappears, places that depended on its broad reach could become new coverage gaps. The providers want satellite connections to link users in such areas back into mobile networks. Their aim is not only broader coverage, but also stronger network resilience and better protection for critical communications.

Starlink was initially presented as a partner that could supplement mobile networks. Telekom announced a Starlink-based service in March for devices that connect directly with satellites, especially to support emergency calls or close coverage gaps. SpaceX's newer ambitions changed that relationship.

SpaceX recently agreed to buy a nationwide portfolio of mobile frequencies in the United States. The goal is to sell mobile services directly to end customers. It also presented a hybrid-network idea in which customer satellite receivers could act like small cell towers and serve nearby people. This moves Starlink beyond supplying a supporting satellite layer.

The change created concern among traditional mobile providers, including Telekom's US subsidiary T-Mobile, whose share price fell after the announcement. Telekom says its joint European bid does not replace existing satellite partnerships. However, the article says Starlink operating the future European satellite infrastructure currently appears unlikely.

Satellite-based mobile communication can extend service beyond normal tower coverage, but it has physical disadvantages. A signal travelling between a phone and an orbiting satellite covers a much greater distance than one travelling to a nearby ground tower. The longer path causes the signal to become considerably weaker.

That weakness matters especially indoors. The article says providers cannot guarantee reception inside closed buildings. Walls and roofs add another barrier between the phone and the sky, so a signal that is already weak may not work reliably. This is one reason Telekom's chief executive argued that satellite communication cannot replace ordinary radio towers.

Satellite links are therefore best understood as a supplement in the plans described. They could help in remote or underserved places, support emergency calls and improve resilience. Ground infrastructure remains central for the European providers. SpaceX's proposed hybrid model could add local receivers, but its cost and achievable coverage remain unclear.

A mobile network cell is a defined local area in which phones communicate with a ground-based base station. Many cells placed next to one another create continuous coverage. Towers can be positioned close to users, helping signals remain strong and allowing networks to serve many phones in busy places.

Satellites cover much larger areas, but they are much farther away. Their signals weaken over the longer path, and the article specifically warns that indoor reception cannot be guaranteed. Ground towers also place radio equipment near streets, homes and workplaces, while satellite links depend more strongly on a clear path toward the sky.

For these reasons, satellites do not simply remove the need for terrestrial cells. The European providers want to keep ground infrastructure central and use satellites to reach otherwise underserved areas. Their plan also aims to improve resilience and protect critical communication, rather than replace the normal tower-based network.