HAWTHORNE, Calif. — As Starlink rides the momentum of SpaceX's record public debut, the company is making a forward-looking pitch to European regulators: design spectrum rules that let the continent tap into the fast-arriving era of satellite-to-phone connectivity.
In a statement issued ahead of a spectrum-management conference in Brussels, SpaceX argued that Europe should preserve room for the most capable direct-to-device systems so its citizens are not left behind as the technology matures.
A Vision of Connectivity for All of Europe
SpaceX's core message is one of opportunity. Direct-to-device service lets an ordinary smartphone link straight to a satellite, filling coverage gaps in rural valleys, at sea and across remote terrain where traditional towers cannot reach. The company's position is that European consumers should have access to the same cutting-edge connectivity already expanding elsewhere.
That ambition is grounded in real momentum. SpaceX recently deployed its 1,500th Starlink satellite of the year, and its constellation now reaches customers across more than 160 markets worldwide.
The Spectrum Question
At issue is how the EU divides a key 2-gigahertz frequency band. Brussels has proposed reserving two-thirds of the spectrum for Europe-based operators and its IRIS² program, offering the remaining third to outside providers. SpaceX cautioned that carving the band into smaller blocks could leave it fragmented and harder to use efficiently for the high-performance, satellite-to-mobile services consumers increasingly expect.
