The three largest US mobile operators AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon announced an agreement to pool spectrum resources to improve D2D services (technologies of direct communication between devices), including standardization of approach, to help rural mobile operators reduce coverage gaps.
Head of AT&T John Stankey emphasized, that the companies' partnership and their shared experience will allow customers to get a reliable and stable connection at any point much faster. CEO of the Luxembourg-based satellite operator OQ Technology, Omar Kayse, which plans to expand D2D testing this year, welcomed the initiative of the Joint Enterprise (JV, Joint Venture). In his opinion, this step acquires geopolitical significance, as the US ecosystem is rapidly evolving due to clear coordination between operators, satellite companies and government priorities. Omar Kayse also expressed his willingness to support the future joint venture and help ensure ubiquitous connectivity for partners and customers. Meanwhile, SpaceX, which provides Starlink Mobile services in the US from 2025 year in partnership with T-Mobile, was skeptical about the union of mobile operators.
At the same time, space industry analysts emphasize the preliminary nature of this joint effort, because the interaction details, the financial structure and ecosystem of partners have not yet been determined. Analysts at Raymond James agreed, that SP, most likely, will work as a "marketing agent", which will connect operators with smaller wireless and satellite providers, rather than owning the licenses independently. The joint venture should help customers get a connection in "dead zones", where additional demand may arise in the future. This will combine the advantages of different technologies and solutions and at the same time solve the obvious problems with servicing these hard-to-reach and expensive areas.
Source: https://spacenews.com