Particle.news
Download on the App Store
15 ARTICLES
·
2h ago

EU Reserves Two‑Thirds of 2 GHz Satellite Band for European Operators

The Commission ties a government slice to the IRIS2 constellation to strengthen security and industry capacity, with the move raising the prospect of U.S. pushback.

France's Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs Anne Le Henanff, French Minister for Economy, Finance, and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty Roland Lescure, German Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation Karsten Wildberger and Executive Vice-president of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen pose for a family photo at a Summit on European Digital Sovereignty, a high-level Franco-German meeting focused on discussing Europe's digital future, security, and independence, in Berlin, Germany, November 18, 2025. REUTERS/Nadja Wohlleben/File Photo
Executive Vice-president of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen arrives for a meeting of the College of European Commissioners in Brussels, Belgium, May 6, 2026. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
European regulators have proposed reshaping access to 2 gigahertz mobile satellite spectrum as demand grows for direct-to-device services.
Image

Overview

  • The European Commission set out the proposal on May 27 to divide the 2 GHz mobile satellite band into three equal blocks and to reserve two thirds for European uses.
  • One block is earmarked for government and military traffic and will be integrated with IRIS2, the EU’s planned 290‑satellite multi‑orbit constellation.
  • Non‑EU operators including SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Leo are allowed to bid for the remaining commercial block starting in 2027, when current U.S. licences expire.
  • Brussels may extend existing Viasat and EchoStar licences temporarily to bridge the transition, and a parallel package of cloud procurement rules faces a key vote on June 3 that would steer sensitive public contracts toward EU providers.
  • The plan aims to boost European resilience and create a supply pipeline for domestic aerospace firms but carries implementation risks for building IRIS2, possible service gaps if roll‑out lags, and the real chance of reciprocal measures from U.S. regulators.