Starlink and Amazon may be able to buy into EU mobile satellite spectrum plan

Elon Musk’s Starlink and Amazon’s (AMZN.O) low-earth-orbit satellite business may be able ​to acquire some European mobile satellite spectrum next year, two ‌people with direct knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.

But they said two-thirds of the satellite spectrum that allows mobile devices and vehicles to communicate ​seamlessly even in remote locations, would be reserved for European ​companies.

US companies Viasat and EchoStar (SATS.O) hold licences that are ⁠due to expire in May 2027 and the European Commission has ​been considering how to allocate future spectrum at the same time ​as the bloc pushes to reduce reliance on US tech.

The European Union’s IRIS2 multi-orbit array of 290 satellites, a response to Starlink, will be among the ​European companies to receive some spectrum, the sources said.

British and Norwegian ​companies can also bid for a licence, the people said.

Details of the proposal could still change at a meeting of commissioners on the day, one of the sources said.

The person said one commissioner’s insistence that all spectrum should be reserved entirely ​for European businesses had ​put them ⁠at odds with EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen who does not want to exclude any company. The ​person said Virkkunen was likely to win the ​argument.

Asked for ⁠comment on Tuesday, Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said EU-wide satellite connectivity was “synonymous with resilience, security, and capability” given the current geopolitical context.

“Satellite connectivity ⁠is ​a key piece of our technological sovereignty, ​our security, and our defence, as also highlighted by IRIS2,” he said.

المصدر: Cyprus Mail