Washington lets Amazon absorb Globalstar while Europe wants its satellite spectrum mainly for its own firms
The fight over frequencies for satellite links to ordinary smartphones is intensifying on both sides of the Atlantic.
The US telecoms regulator FCC has approved Amazon's takeover of satellite operator Globalstar, Heise reports. Amazon offered 11.5 billion dollars in April. Globalstar brings worldwide licences for mobile satellite services, which Amazon needs for a service meant to deliver calls, data and messages directly to phones from 2028. Amazon's own satellite network is growing more slowly than expected. The only objection, from a Globalstar partner, was rejected.
In Europe, the same frequencies are a sensitive issue. De Tijd reports that the EU wants to reserve most of its frequencies for mobile satellite services for European companies. The US is threatening heavy retaliation because companies such as SpaceX would get fewer opportunities, but the European Commission is sticking to its plan.