Starlink and Amazon now eligible to bid for EU mobile satellite spectrum

The European Commission just cracked open the door to its most strategically important satellite frequency. Starting in 2027, non-EU operators like SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper can bid for a portion of the 2 GHz mobile satellite spectrum, the only EU-harmonized band designated for mobile satellite services.

How the spectrum split works

The announcement, made on May 27, 2026, lays out a framework designed to thread a very specific needle. Two-thirds of the spectrum is reserved primarily for EU companies and projects, leaving just one-third available to outside bidders.

British and Norwegian operators also qualify for access to that larger two-thirds share, a nod to existing partnerships and the broader European economic area.

Within that EU-reserved chunk, priority access goes to IRIS², the bloc’s ambitious multi-orbit satellite constellation. That project is projected to cost around 10.5 billion euros and will include approximately 290 satellites.

What happens to the current license holders

US satellite operators Viasat and EchoStar currently hold licenses for the 2 GHz band in Europe, and those licenses are set to expire in May 2027. That’s the same window when the new bidding process is expected to begin.

Rather than forcing an abrupt transition, the Commission is considering a two-year extension for those existing licenses. That buffer period would give Viasat and EchoStar continued access while the new competitive framework gets up and running.

The 2 GHz band isn’t just any frequency allocation. It’s the sole EU-harmonized spectrum for mobile satellite services, making it critical for direct-to-device communication, the technology that lets satellites connect directly to standard smartphones without specialized hardware.

The Starlink factor

Starlink’s rapid expansion across Europe has created what Brussels clearly views as a strategic dependency problem. The EU’s approach reserves two-thirds of the spectrum for European operators while allowing non-EU operators access to the remaining one-third, creating a three-way dynamic between US incumbents, US challengers, and the EU’s own IRIS² project.

European policymakers have watched how quickly Starlink became essential infrastructure in Ukraine, and the geopolitical implications of that dependency have clearly shaped this regulatory framework.

What this means for investors

For European satellite operators, the reserved two-thirds allocation represents a protected growth runway, particularly for companies involved in the IRIS² consortium. That 10.5 billion euro price tag means significant contract opportunities across manufacturing, launch services, and ground infrastructure.

Existing license holders Viasat and EchoStar face the most uncertain outlook. A potential two-year extension buys time, but the competitive landscape they’ll face after that grace period looks fundamentally different from the one they’ve operated in.

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