Orange Urges Faster European Action on Satellite Sovereignty and D2D

Orange has called for Europe to move faster in satellite connectivity, arguing that space-based infrastructure is becoming critical to digital sovereignty, resilience and future competitiveness.

Writing around the International Space Summit, Michaël Trabbia, EVP and CEO of Orange Wholesale, said Europe has the frequencies, technical expertise and early joint projects needed to regain momentum in space, but warned that the window of opportunity is narrowing as players such as SpaceX scale rapidly.

Orange has said sovereignty should not mean excluding non-European satellite constellations, but ensuring Europe has credible infrastructure, governance and technology of its own. The company sees IRIS² as central to that effort, providing a sovereign European constellation with reserved frequencies and European oversight by 2030.

Direct-to-device connectivity is highlighted as one of the most important emerging satellite use cases. Orange launched its Message Satellite service in France in 2025 through a partnership with Skylo, enabling compatible smartphones to send messages when outside mobile coverage. In Romania, the operator has also tested satellite SMS on the Via Transilvanica trail and is working with AST SpaceMobile on future voice and data trials.

Orange is positioning satellite as a complement to terrestrial and subsea infrastructure, rather than a replacement. The group points to its global network footprint, including terrestrial fibre, submarine cables and 4G/5G mobile access, as the foundation for a hybrid connectivity model in which satellite provides additional reach, resilience and crisis continuity.

That hybrid model is increasingly relevant for remote areas, emergency response and strategic communications. While satellite represents only a small share of overall connectivity, Orange argues it plays a critical role in making communications more universal and reliable.

The comments, which can be read in full here, reflect a broader European debate over how to balance openness with control in next-generation satellite services. As D2D evolves from messaging toward calls and data, operators such as Orange are seeking to keep customer relationships, network integration and service quality under operator control while supporting wider European autonomy.