AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are forming a joint venture to unify and expand satellite direct-to-device (D2D) services.
The plan combines joint work on key technical and commercial building blocksspectrum pooling, common standards development and shared investment in satellite connectivity solutionswithout requiring the carriers to drop their existing satellite relationships.
Joint venture scope: pooled spectrum, common standards, shared satellite investment
The carriers plan to pool spectrum as part of the joint venture for satellite D2D services.
They also plan to develop common standards, and jointly invest in satellite connectivity technologies, all aimed at making D2D service delivery more interoperable across the parties.
Carrier-by-carrier satellite partners remain in place
Even with the collaboration, each carrier will maintain its existing satellite partnerships.
T-Mobile will work with SpaceX as part of its existing satellite partnerships, while AT&T will partner with AST SpaceMobile.
Verizon will work with both Skylo and AST SpaceMobile as part of its existing satellite partnerships.
FCC spectrum decision and Globalstar acquisition plans shape the competitive backdrop
The D2D market is seeing intensifying competition, and the joint venture lands alongside several sector developments highlighted in the same context.
The FCC approved EchoStars spectrum sale to SpaceX to strengthen Starlink Direct-to-Device capabilities.
In parallel, Amazon entered the D2D sector through its planned acquisition of Globalstar.
Read for wholesale satellite D2D and connectivity buyers
If you buy D2D connectivity from operators, the joint ventures focus on pooled spectrum, common standards and shared investment suggests carriers are trying to reduce fragmentation across satellite D2D implementations.global satellite internet
At the same time, the carriers decision to keep their existing satellite partners means vendor and platform choices will likely remain multi-sourced.