The European Commission adopted a legislative proposal on May 27 that would replace the 2008 framework governing Europe’s 2 GHz mobile satellite services band, the most valuable stretch of spectrum for direct-to-device.
 
The proposal divides 30 MHz of uplink and 30 MHz of downlink, 60 MHz in all, into six paired 5 MHz blocks: two for a sovereign system that must integrate with IRIS², two prioritized for EU-controlled new entrants, and two open to any operator. Corporate ownership, rather than technical merit, determines which lane a company can enter.
 
This Deep Dive examines the draft’s requirements and their implications for incumbents and new entrants competing for a foothold in Europe. Viasat and EchoStar hold the band today under rights that technically expire in May 2027, although each can request a two-year extension once the new rules take effect. SpaceX, Amazon Leo and Equatys are foreign-controlled, leaving the two open blocks as their only route into the band. The AST SpaceMobile–Vodafone venture is the one challenger with a credible shot at the EU-priority lane.
 
Europe’s satellite operators face the mirror problem in D.C., where the FCC is considering whether European restrictions on U.S. operators should weigh on their pending U.S. market-access applications. Tit for tat? Still TBD.
 
In this report: the three lanes and who qualifies for each; an 11-gate eligibility matrix drawn from the draft text; profiles of six contenders with their lane access mapped; a sourced timeline from 2008 to 2029; the transatlantic reciprocity fight; and six markers to watch before the call for applications.