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# European telecom giants plot satellite challenge to Starlink
- URL: https://adjacent.media/signals/european-telecom-giants-plot-satellite-challenge-to-starlink/
- Published: 2026-09-08T16:12:10.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-08T16:12:10.000Z
- Description: Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Vodafone, and Telefónica are exploring a joint bid for European satellite spectrum. The move signals that terrestrial carriers view Starlink as a competitive threat to their core broadband and backhaul revenue, not a potential partner.
- Author: Jonathan Greene
- Tags: #signal, theme-connected, infrastructure, spectrum, satellite

Source: [The Next Web](https://thenextweb.com/news/europe-carriers-satellite-to-mobile-consortium-2ghz-starlink?ref=adjacent.media)

Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Vodafone, and Telefónica are exploring a joint bid for European satellite spectrum. The move signals that terrestrial carriers view Starlink as a competitive threat to their core broadband and backhaul revenue, not a potential partner. A pooled consortium could let them deploy a unified rival system without cannibalizing each other's existing markets—something none could achieve alone at SpaceX's scale and speed. The pressure is regulatory. EU authorities want homegrown satellite infrastructure, and a carrier-backed consortium may be the only viable path to secure spectrum and capital without ceding the next decade of connectivity to American players.