IN Brief:
- The European Commission has proposed a new EU-level framework for mobile satellite services in the 2GHz band.
- The proposal would reserve part of the spectrum for governmental, security, defence, and critical communications.
- Direct-to-device satellite connectivity is moving closer to mainstream mobile, IoT, and embedded communications design.
The European Commission has proposed a new framework for mobile satellite services in the EU, setting out how the harmonised 2GHz frequency band could be used after current authorisations expire in May 2027.
The proposal would replace the existing 2008 mobile satellite services framework with an EU-level authorisation scheme covering both commercial satellite connectivity and government communications. A single framework would give satellite operators a clearer route to cross-border services while reducing the fragmented treatment of mobile satellite services across member states.
Under the proposed structure, the 2GHz MSS band would be divided between governmental and commercial applications. One third of the spectrum would be reserved for governmental services, including security, defence, and critical communications. The selected operator would also need to integrate with the EU’s IRIS² secure connectivity programme, which is intended to provide resilient satellite communications capability across Europe.
The remaining two thirds would support commercial applications, including direct-to-device connectivity for smartphones and IoT devices. Potential applications include emergency communications, energy monitoring, remote tracking, logistics visibility, and connected devices operating beyond reliable terrestrial coverage. The commercial portion would be split between new EU market entrants and a wider category open to EU and non-EU operators.
Satellite communications are moving closer to mainstream electronics design as direct-to-device services mature. RF front ends, antennas, embedded software, power management, certification, and network-selection logic all become more complex when devices are expected to operate across hybrid terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. A sensor node, handheld device, or industrial tracker may need to move between cellular and satellite links while maintaining battery life and service reliability.
That convergence is also visible in the manufacturing base. Space-sector production readiness has been gaining momentum through initiatives such as the A.R.T. and Space East space-electronics manufacturing event, which is focused on connecting electronics manufacturing capability with space-sector requirements. Spectrum policy sits on a different part of the value chain, but it shapes the commercial environment in which those devices and subsystems are designed.
The defence and resilience element runs through the proposal. Terrestrial networks can be affected by outages, attacks, natural disasters, and infrastructure constraints, while satellite systems can provide a parallel communications path when ground networks are unavailable or degraded. Reserving part of the band for governmental, security, and critical communications reflects the growing importance of assured connectivity in civil and defence planning.
Hybrid connectivity creates practical engineering challenges. Antenna efficiency, device orientation, transmit power, coexistence with terrestrial bands, modem integration, firmware security, and battery management all affect how non-terrestrial network capability can be added to industrial equipment. Remote devices may be expected to operate for years with limited maintenance, making every RF and power-management decision more consequential.
The eventual effect on the electronics supply chain will depend on how quickly operators build services, how standards mature, and how device makers integrate satellite capability into commercial and industrial hardware. The direction of travel is already clear: satellite connectivity is becoming part of the embedded communications design space rather than a specialist service sitting outside it.
