Orange has delayed its first European satellite direct-to-device test until early next year. The operator wants broader satellite coverage before starting field work.
The plan centers on D2D services, which connect standard phones directly to satellites. This can extend mobile reach into remote areas, roads, coastlines, and rural gaps.
Orange is working through two routes. One involves AST SpaceMobile and Vodafone joint venture Satellite Connect Europe. Another covers Orange markets outside Europe through a direct AST agreement.
The first activity was expected in Romania this year. However, Orange now frames it as a test, not a public demonstration. The operator wants enough satellites in orbit to avoid an uneven service.
Laurent Leboucher, executive VP for networks and group CTO, explained the timing at Network X. “They should be ready by the end of the year, and that means that the test can start,” he said. “That means also that we should have enough quality without too many interruptions, because if you don’t have enough satellites, then you get interrupted from time to time.”
The delay highlights a key issue for satellite mobile services. Operators need coverage before they can measure real user value. A limited constellation can create gaps, especially during moving satellite passes.
Still, the business case remains attractive. D2D can fill mobile dead zones without building towers everywhere. It can also support emergency messaging when terrestrial networks fail.
Yet Orange wants control over the customer experience. The company has said customer data traffic should run through its core network. That approach may help security, visibility, and service management.
Spectrum remains another important concern. Orange must study how satellite use affects existing mobile spectrum. It also needs to avoid interference near national borders.
GSMA Chief Regulatory Officer John Giusti raised the same concern during Network X. He said the sector must establish “how do we protect the adjacent users within the country, and how do we also safeguard against cross-border [interference].”
Dedicated mobile satellite services spectrum could reduce these burdens. Europe is preparing an award process for 2GHz MSS spectrum. Current licenses held by EchoStar and ViaSat expire in May.
Orange is also preparing a joint spectrum bid with Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and Telefónica. The final timeline remains unclear. A proposed two-year license extension suggests Europe may move carefully.
Meanwhile, Orange already offers limited satellite messaging through Skylo. The service works only on Google Pixel 9 and 10 devices.
Leboucher said “the goal was really to be able to start,” and learn usage patterns. But scale needs wider handset support. For Orange, satellites remain promising, but timing, spectrum, and device reach will decide momentum.
