Verizon Joins AT&T and T-Mobile in Rejecting Starlink MVNO Model - Fierce Network

Verizon has become the latest US operator to say that it is not interested in pursuing an MVNO agreement with SpaceX’s Starlink, aligning its position with AT&T and T-Mobile and effectively closing the door, for now at least, on a(ny) potential partnership between the satellite operator and a major U.S. mobile network.

According to an article in Fierce Network, a Verizon spokesperson confirmed that a Starlink MVNO does not meet the operator’s commercial criteria. The company said MVNO partnerships must unlock new customer segments, expand its base, or enhance the overall user experience; conditions it does not believe Starlink currently satisfies.

The stance mirrors comments made by both AT&T and T-Mobile during their recent earnings calls. Executives from both operators emphasised that MVNO deals are only viable where they drive total addressable market (TAM) expansion, rather than simply duplicating existing connectivity offerings. In that context, satellite-based MVNO models, at least in their current form, are seen as offering limited incremental value.

Instead, Verizon says that it will continue to prioritise direct-to-device (D2D) satellite partnerships with established players such as AST SpaceMobile, Skylo and Globalstar.

For now, however, the message from the U.S. mobile incumbents is consistent: satellite connectivity is valuable, but not in the form of a traditional MVNO. The focus remains on tightly integrated NTN partnerships that extend coverage without reshaping the underlying business model.

SOURCE: https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/verizon-no-mvno-starlink