- European 2 GHz satellite spectrum likely to be split into European and non-European allocations
- Starlink and Amazon Leo could bid for space in the remaining third starting in May 2027
- The United Kingdom and Norway will be able to bid for space in the two-thirds European allocation
While the European Commission plans to reserve around two-thirds of the 2 GHz mobile satellite spectrum for European companies, non-EU rivals are reportedly fighting to grab the remaining third.
And none other than Elon Musk’s Starlink and Amazon’s Leo, formerly Project Kuiper, are rushing to acquire the remaining allocation.
Of course, there will be some exceptions to the EU-only rule in that UK and Norwegian companies will also be able to bid for space in the two-thirds European allocation, leaving that remaining third in the hands of some of the biggest players in the game.
Starlink and Amazon Leo likely to take a third of European allocation
Currently, the spectrum is in the hands of US companies Viasat and EchoStar, whose contracts end in a year. Rather than revamping them, Europe’s restructured allocation rules will not only give European companies a fighting chance to acquire space, but will also allow other non-EU companies to bid for space.
IRIS2, a constellation of 290 satellites, will be among the European plans to obtain space thanks to the allocation of two thirds, an exclusive initiative PakGazette report details.
Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier cited “resilience, security and capability” when asked for comment: The Commission’s recent efforts to improve the market share of European companies and reduce dependence on American tech giants have not gone unnoticed across the industry.
The report also introduces the possibility of reserving the entire spectrum for European companies, although Vice President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, is believed to have expressed her desire not to exclude any companies from the bids, hence the likely one-third/two-thirds proposal.
The Commission is expected to provide more details soon; however, no update was provided at the time of writing.
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