AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile Rally Against Dead Zones With Uncommon Satellite Move, Eye Starlink Push
AT&T Inc. is teaming up with Verizon and T-Mobile—an unusual alliance among the top three U.S. mobile carriers—to launch a satellite-based venture targeting the country’s wireless dead zones. All three giants are throwing their weight behind what’s shaping up to be a race for direct phone-to-satellite service. The companies say their plan relies on direct-to-device tech, so regular phones connect straight to satellites, no special hardware required. It’s a conspicuous bit of timing. Just two days after the U.S. Federal Communications Commission cleared EchoStar’s $40 billion wireless spectrum sale — those are the frequencies mobile signals ride on — to SpaceX and AT&T, the announcement landed. The deal sets up Elon Musk’s Starlink for a more direct shot at cell service, while AT&T picks up crucial low- and mid-band 5G spectrum.