UK Industry Splits Over Future of 2 GHz Satellite Spectrum Band

Twenty-two respondents to Ofcom's consultation on the 2 GHz MSS band are split on whether the UK should copy the European Commission's spectrum framework or chart its own course, with the operators' existing licenses set to expire in 2027.

The band — 1980-2010 MHz downlink and 2170-2200 MHz uplink — is currently licensed to Viasat and EchoStar in both the EU and the UK until 2027. Ofcom has proposed extending the incumbents' licenses for either three or five years to guarantee service continuity through what it calls a transitional period, while it weighs longer-term options for the spectrum.

Since Brexit, the UK has no legal obligation to follow the EU's approach, turning alignment into a policy choice rather than a requirement. Ofcom's June consultation asked the satellite, mobile and wider telecom industry whether the band's future should follow an ITU-led model, a market-led approach, or mirror Europe.

How long should the transition last?

Most of the 22 respondents back a three-year transitional period. Vodafone and VMO2 explicitly reject the five-year option as too rigid.

But a camp of satellite players wants the UK to match the EU. The European Commission's May proposal lets Viasat and EchoStar request a two-year extension while Brussels runs a competitive procedure to allocate portions of the band. SES, Lynk — now Elveo Mobile after its merger with Omnispace — and Satellite Connect Europe, the joint venture between Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile, all support that model.

SES argues a two-year window should be the ceiling. "Considering the EU planned two-year license extension and WRC-27 decisions to take effect as of January 2029, three years should be the maximum authorised extension period; however, SES recommends a two-year period to align with the EU proposal," the operator writes.

Elveo points to the geography of the spectrum. "This approach is particularly appropriate given the significant interdependence between UK and EU use of the 2 GHz MSS Bands and the regional nature of existing services," it writes, adding that incumbents will "need to prepare for the post-transition EU framework within the proposed two-year period in any event."

The EU plan splits the band into three 2x10 MHz blocks: one for governmental use, one for new European entrants, and one open to operators from inside and outside the EU. Vodafone, VMO2, Hispasat and SES all back that division — on bandwidth grounds, not the specific usage restrictions.

Vodafone makes the cross-border case directly. "Satellite services are inherently cross-border in nature," the operator writes. "A fragmented approach to authorisation risks introducing unnecessary complexity, increasing regulatory burdens and reducing incentives for investment."

Who opposes the EU model?

The loudest opposition comes from Starlink, Elon Musk's SpaceX venture and the current leader in satellite direct-to-device and broadband services. Reflecting its earlier EU response, in which it argued the plan could disrupt its coverage of Ukraine, Starlink writes: "Alignment with the EU over the ITU would be detrimental to the UK's interests."

It goes further, warning that adopting the Commission's framework — with its 5 MHz pairings and prioritisation of an operator's country of incorporation — could leave UK users "without access to quality direct-to-device satellite service."

TechUK takes a softer line, arguing Ofcom "should not treat alignment with the EU as justification for deferring productive use of this band."

AST SpaceMobile sits between the camps, acknowledging the importance of broad alignment while noting it "need not require identical spectrum assignments in every jurisdiction, provided that the underlying technical and regulatory frameworks remain compatible."

What about a competitive procedure?

AST rejects both an ITU filings-based model and a status-quo approach with trading. The former, it says, risks "entrenching incumbent positions"; the latter would hurt new entrants. "Spectrum access should be determined through a transparent regulatory framework that enables direct participation by multiple qualified operators and promotes competition, investment, and consumer choice," the operator says.

SpaceX opposes that idea, and smaller operator Terrestar warns that too many competing operators would fragment the band. "We encourage Ofcom to give due consideration to the above factors and to resist calls to unnecessarily multiply the number of MSS competitors at the expense of service quality," Terrestar says.

Ofcom must now weigh the responses as it decides the band's licensing path, with the current Viasat and EchoStar licenses running out in 2027 and EU decisions at WRC-27 set to shape the regional picture from January 2029.