Ofcom delays 2 GHz satellite spectrum ruling to preserve optionality

Ofcom is consulting on a plan to extend Viasat and EchoStar 2 GHz MSS licences for three to five years. The move avoids service disruption while the UK watches EU policy, satellite market changes and future NTN use cases.

• Viasat and EchoStar win three- to five-year licence extensions

• Optionality wins as EU satellite policy and NTN models evolve

The fact

Ofcom is consulting on extending Viasat and EchoStar's 2 GHz mobile satellite services licences for three to five years, as the current authorisations expire in May 2027. The operators use the spectrum for in-flight Wi-Fi and LoRaWAN IoT connectivity. Ofcom says a transitional award prevents service disruption while it assesses a rapidly changing satellite market. The consultation follows EU MSS band proposals and comes as future allocations could return to the WRC-27 agenda.

The Assessment

Ofcom is choosing optionality over a definitive spectrum allocation. That's the right call — 2 GHz is becoming strategic for mobile satellite, non-terrestrial networks and direct-to-cell models, and locking it in now would be premature. For internet infrastructure, the pattern is familiar: satellite spectrum is no longer a niche issue but a battleground between EU industrial policy, US-backed LEO entrants and domestic priorities. Keeping the band open buys time in a fight that isn't settled yet.

What to Watch

Watch Ofcom's final decision later this year, industry feedback by 18 August, and whether US-backed LEO operators or American regulators intervene in the UK consultation.