AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon announced a joint venture to simplify how they provide direct-to-device (D2D) services to customers, pooling spectrum and taking a unified approach to satellite connectivity for D2D.
They say the JV will fund satellite D2D technology to address coverage gaps and will bring together IP and terrestrial spectrum, with the goal of creating industry specifications and enabling more competition in the market.
How the JV is meant to work: pooled spectrum, shared specs
The three mobile network operators said the joint venture will pool spectrum resources and align on an approach to D2D services.
They also said they will make joint investment in satellite-based D2D technologies aimed at coverage gaps, while combining IP and terrestrial spectrum and working toward industry specifications.
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon positioned the structure as a route to enable more competition in the satellite D2D market by giving additional satellite service providers room to compete, invest and grow.
Carrier-satellite deals stay separate while the JV coordinates
The MNOs said existing carrier-satellite agreements will remain in place, and that partners can continue connectivity efforts independently.
In other words: the JV is aimed at coordination around D2D delivery and standards work, rather than replacing the operators8 current satellite arrangements.
T-Mobile, Verizon and satellite players respond
T-Mobile President and CEO Srini Gopalan said the JV will use expanded capacity and improved performance as satellite constellations expand, and that the partnership will make it easier for satellite operators to deliver a broader range of direct-to-device experiences.
Verizon CEO Dan Schulman said the partnership gives customers more options, strengthens America8 infrastructure, and increases competition for satellite providers.
On the satellite side, Skylo CEO and co-founder Parth Trivedi welcomed the idea of giving operators a stronger voice and argued that satellite should strengthen the mobile ecosystem, not fragment it.
AST SpaceMobile CEO and Chairman Abel Avellan also applauded the move, saying the industry is preparing to enable space-based cellular broadband connectivity to every American. He said the company plans to be a key enabler as it grows its global network in low-Earth orbit and expands available spectrum to its network.
Analyst and ecosystem tension: standardization vs. antitrust
Mobile Experts analyst Joe Madden told Via Satellite that forming a JV was somewhat surprising given that the MNOs already have separate satellite agreements in place. He said the keys to the JV are pooling spectrum and collaborating on specifications, and argued that standardization requires economy of scale and cooperation between competitors.
Madden said a 4more seamless experience9 would depend on useful handover from cellular to satellite networks, and described the JV as a more formalized agreement between AT&T and Verizon to help keep a band straight and allow each company to monetize D2D service appropriately.
Meanwhile, SpaceX executives reacted publicly. SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell posted on X that Starlink Mobile is 4doing something right9 and referenced 4David and Goliath (X3) all over again.9 SpaceX VP of Satellite Policy David Goldman replied that he would 4take that bet,9 and pointed to an analysis questioning whether the Department of Justice will allow the three major carriers to partner in this way.
The carriers8 move landed as the FCC approved EchoStar8s spectrum sale to SpaceX, which the article says is expected to unlock new capabilities for future versions of SpaceX8s Direct-to-Cell constellation.
The article also frames the timing alongside Amazon8s D2D push via MSS spectrum secured through a deal to buy Globalstar.