EU Opens Satellite Spectrum Bidding to SpaceX and Other Foreign Firms
New EU rules would let non-European satellite operators compete for airwave licenses while reserving a third for local players.
The European Union is shaking up its satellite spectrum rules. New proposed regulations would open the door for non-European companies — including Elon Musk's Starlink — to bid for airwave access across the bloc.
The catch: at least 33% of licenses must go to European companies. It's a calculated balance between inviting global competition and protecting homegrown operators.
The move signals a pragmatic shift in Brussels. Rather than walling off the market entirely, the EU is acknowledging that foreign satellite heavyweights bring capability and scale that local firms can't yet match. SpaceX, with its massive Starlink constellation, is the obvious elephant in the room.
Still, that one-third reservation gives European satellite companies a guaranteed foothold — ensuring they aren't simply outbid and sidelined in their own backyard.