AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon don't want to cede control to the world's richest man

It doesn't matter whether you're on AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon – all of the country's best telcos are bound to alter and your phone service will change.

I'm not talking about price hikes, although that's a future we can't escape (we're already living it).

I'm talking about the extraterrestrial side of things.

Changes from above

There's a new update by GSMA, the global industry organization representing the interests of mobile network operators and companies. It focuses on one of the most significant changes coming to smartphones: satellite connectivity.

According to the report, SpaceX's headline-producing IPO valuation shows that investors believe Starlink isn't planning to stay a niche satellite internet provider. Instead, the company is expected to compete directly with traditional mobile carriers you and I know so well… especially as satellite services and AI-powered connectivity get hyped even further.

They're not giving it up

Naturally, phone carriers aren't standing still.

Around the world, 132 telecom companies already offer some form of satellite service and partnerships between carriers and satellite providers continue to grow.

But the recent announcement that AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are creating a joint satellite venture is maybe the clearest sign yet that carriers want to stay in control of this new technology instead of relying entirely on outside companies. The SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the world's richest man, should expect a pushback from the Big 3.

GSMA's report goes on to highlight that by working together on a shared satellite network, the three US carriers can lower costs, have more influence over future satellite technology and avoid depending on a single satellite operator.

This is a smart move, since they want satellites to become another part of their own networks rather than handing that responsibility over to companies like SpaceX.

On a bigger scale

This strategy could also benefit satellite companies such as AST SpaceMobile. Although its planned satellite network will be much smaller than those of Starlink or Amazon, AST already has dozens of planned partnerships with telecom operators and could play the role of a neutral infrastructure provider for carrier-backed satellite projects.

Billions of people would access satellite phone services

The GSMA also estimates that more than 6 billion people could eventually have access to satellite-enabled mobile services through existing and future partnerships. China and India represent the largest potential markets because of their populations, while satellite coverage is also expanding across Europe and Latin America.

Governments are also paying attention to who controls these satellite networks. The report notes that many European countries want to protect their communications infrastructure and reduce dependence on major US and Chinese technology companies.

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