Orange, Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone announced, on October 19, 2026, a joint initiative to develop satellite mobile communications in Europe. In the face of Starlink’s expansion and concerns raised by restrictions on military satellite services in Ukraine, the four operators intend to reduce European dependence on infrastructure controlled from the United States. But the response will take time: while OneWeb is already operating, future European networks will come into service progressively between the end of the decade and the early 2030s.
Four telecoms giants seek to coordinate their response
The four operators signed a letter of intent to study a joint bid for frequencies intended for satellite mobile services in Europe.
The project specifically targets Direct-to-Device (D2D) communications, allowing compatible phones to communicate directly with satellites, without always going through a ground mobile antenna.
The envisaged applications include coverage of remote areas, emergency communications and the maintenance of certain services during outages of traditional networks.
Orange and its partners want to manage the main terrestrial infrastructures and offer other European operators open and non-discriminatory access to future capacities.
The initiative does not yet include the construction of a constellation owned by the four groups. A satellite partner will have to provide the space component.
Their strategy is to preserve European control over the frequencies, ground equipment and the commercial terms of access to the services.
SpaceX now threatens the traditional mobile operators market
Starlink has established itself in satellite Internet access, notably in regions lacking satisfactory terrestrial coverage.
But SpaceX now seeks to develop a much broader activity: directly connect smartphones through its satellite network.
This evolution represents a major shift for incumbent operators.
A provider capable of combining satellites, radio frequencies and mobile services could become a direct competitor in certain activities currently provided by terrestrial networks.
For Orange, Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone, waiting for this market to be entirely structured around SpaceX would pose a commercial risk.
By pooling their skills and resources, the European groups hope to influence the future allocation of frequencies and the operating rules of this market.
Competition will now be as much about infrastructure control as about pricing and the quality of connections.
Ukraine reveals a strategic dependency
The war in Ukraine has transformed satellite communications into a national security issue.
Since Russia’s large-scale invasion in February 2022, Starlink has helped maintain Ukrainian communications, especially in sectors where ground infrastructures are damaged.
Ukrainian forces also use specialized satellite services, including Starshield, designed for military applications.
In October 2026, several media outlets reported restrictions affecting some satellite capacities used by Kyiv.
Ukrainian authorities have denounced the consequences of these limitations on their drone operations and their military capabilities.
The exact circumstances and responsibilities of the restrictions are the subject of divergent statements. The dependency issue they reveal goes beyond this single episode.
When a service becomes indispensable, its interruption or the modification of its terms can have major consequences, especially in times of conflict.
For Europeans, the challenge is now to have multiple suppliers and greater decision-making power over critical communications.
OneWeb: a European alternative already available
Europe already has an operational player in satellite communications in low Earth orbit: Eutelsat OneWeb.
The Franco-British group operates a constellation of several hundred satellites, mainly aimed at businesses, institutions and government services.
OneWeb provides a diversification solution for users seeking to reduce their dependence on Starlink.
But the two networks do not offer exactly the same services.
Terminals, coverage, available capacities and commercial uses differ. OneWeb cannot immediately replace all civilian and military applications of Starlink and Starshield.
Nevertheless, Eutelsat continues the renewal of its constellation.
On October 2, 2026, the group announced that Airbus had completed the manufacture of 32 new OneWeb satellites in Toulouse. Their preparation for launch illustrates the continuation of European investments in this infrastructure.
In September, Eutelsat had also announced two launches entrusted to Arianespace for 2027 and 2028, to support the renewal of its network.
Europe thus already has credible satellite capacity, but its industrial development still needs to continue to meet growing demand.
IRIS²: the large European constellation expected between 2029 and 2032
Europe’s structural response rests on IRIS², a program aimed at developing a secure and sovereign communications infrastructure.
The European Commission and the industrial consortium SpaceRISE took a significant step on August 7, 2026 with the signing of a framework implementation agreement.
The main constellation is expected to comprise 348 satellites, according to the announced configuration.
IRIS² is intended to serve public institutions, economic actors and users needing secure and resilient communications.
Eutelsat will play a central role in the Low Earth Orbit component of the project.
However, the timetable remains gradual.
The first Ka-band satellites are to be launched from 2029. According to projections presented by Eutelsat, the commercial low-Earth orbit constellation in Ku-band should be fully operational by mid-2032.
The European Union is thus equipping itself with an infrastructure intended to sustainably strengthen its autonomy, but this capacity will not be fully available immediately.
IRIS² and the alliance of the four operators should not be confused either. The former is a major European space program; the latter initiative seeks to organize access to frequencies and the mobile services directly connected to satellites.
When will Europe’s Starlink alternative be available?
Three timelines must be distinguished.
Eutelsat OneWeb: already operational in 2026. The network offers satellite services, mainly professional and institutional. Its renewal will continue over the coming years.
Orange–Deutsche Telekom–Telefónica–Vodafone alliance: no commercial date announced. The operators are still studying their joint candidature for satellite frequencies. They will then have to select their space partner and organize the deployment of D2D services.
IRIS²: ramp-up from 2029. The first launches are planned from this date, while Eutelsat foresees full operation of the future Ku-band commercial constellation by mid-2032.
The timeline shows that Europe will not be able, in the short term, to replace all Starlink services with a single, equivalent network.
The aim is rather to gradually build a set of complementary solutions, capable of reducing the risks associated with dependence on a single provider.
Why Europe cannot wait until 2032
Digital and spatial sovereignty has become an industrial, economic and strategic issue.
A major outage, a cyberattack or a military conflict can render indispensable communications means independent of terrestrial networks.
European states also want to protect their critical infrastructures and ensure the continuity of public services.
But SpaceX’s competition is pushing to act before all European programs are operational.
The choices made today regarding frequencies, technical standards and industrial partners will determine operators’ commercial positions for the years to come.
Europe must therefore advance on two fronts: exploit and develop existing satellite means while preparing the next-generation infrastructure.
The difficulty lies in the time required for space development, faced with an American competitor that already has substantial operational capacity.
What interest for Tunisia and Africa?
Satellite mobile communications could also transform coverage in remote regions of Africa.
In rural, mountainous or desert areas, deploying ground antennas can represent a significant investment for operators.
The future D2D services could complement existing networks, particularly for emergency communications or certain areas still inadequately covered.
Orange and Vodafone already have significant activities on the African continent, which could, in the long term, facilitate the commercialization of new satellite solutions.
For Tunisia, the main issues concern coverage of isolated zones, continuity of communications and the potential integration of satellite services into operators’ offers.
However, their availability will depend on the frequencies authorized, commercial agreements, compatible equipment and regulators’ decisions.
The European initiative of October 19 does not include an announced deployment timetable for Tunisia.
The real challenge for Elon Musk: trust and control
SpaceX maintains a substantial lead in commercial satellite communications.
Its operational capacity, experience and deployment pace cannot be quickly replicated by European actors.
But competition is evolving.
Technical performance and price are no longer the only criteria. States and companies are increasingly focused on service continuity, contractual guarantees and the possibility of diversifying suppliers.
The Ukrainian experience has strengthened this awareness, while European operators see a new competition emerging on their own market.
With OneWeb, Europe already has a partial alternative. With IRIS², it is preparing a larger sovereign infrastructure. And with the Orange–Deutsche Telekom–Telefónica–Vodafone initiative, it seeks to maintain control over its future satellite-connected mobile communications.
The European response to Starlink has thus begun, but its success will be measured over several years. The real objective is not only to compete with Elon Musk: it is to ensure that no single provider can become indispensable to the functioning of European communications.
