Europe’s 2 GHz MSS Band

On 27 May 2026, one year before the expiry of the pan-European 2 GHz authorisations in May 2027, the European Commission adopted its proposal for Regulation COM (2026) 311 final, repealing Decision 626/2008/EC.

On its surface, the proposal is a spectrum-management instrument. In substance, it is something more ambitious: Europe’s first large-scale attempt to organise a sovereign, integrated non-terrestrial network (NTN) and direct-to-device (D2D) ecosystem.

This distinction matters. The 2009 framework treated the 2 GHz band as a satellite-only resource. The 2026 proposal treats it as the foundation layer of a converged satellite-terrestrial connectivity system. It introduces several design choices, 3GPP NTN compliance, access rules for mobile operators and a link to IRIS²; and the scope of each of these is itself part of the policy debate. The policy question facing Brussels is therefore no longer ‘how should mobile satellite services (MSS) spectrum be renewed?’ but ‘how should Europe build and govern its future D2D and NTN ecosystem?’

Between 2008 and 2027, the harmonised 2 GHz framework enabled initial satellite deployments but failed to scale commercially. The reasons were not spectral: they were structural –satellite-only business models, the absence of a mass-market device ecosystem, weak integration with mobile network operators and limited economic attractiveness relative to terrestrial alternatives. The 2026 reform must be designed to remove precisely these barriers.

The commission’s draft proposal rests on four key elements:

• Change of legal instrument. The Commission moves from a Decision to a directly applicable Regulation based on Article 114 TFEU, aligned with the Digital Networks Act (DNA) and its single EU-level authorisation approach.
• New spectrum architecture of six paired 2×5 MHz blocks across three uses: a 2×10 MHz sovereign block integrated with IRIS²; two 2×5 MHz commercial blocks reserved for EU-controlled new entrants; two 2×5 MHz commercial blocks open to EU and third-country operators. Blocks can be taken as multiples, subject to a 2×10 MHz cap per applicant, or as a shared block.
• Three distinct comparative selection procedures with weighted criteria: For commercial MSS systems, applicants are assessed against criteria including coverage commitments, speed of service deployment, dual-use capability, contribution to the Union’s industrial and technological objectives, service security and resilience, and expected benefits for consumers and competition (Article 12).
• Two-year transitional extension for incumbents (Viasat and EchoStar), without transfer, leasing or sublicensing, to ensure service continuity during the selection process (Article 20).

This white paper sets out the lessons of the 2009 framework, explains why the 2027 cycle is fundamentally different, analyses the Commission’s proposal through a strategic rather than purely legal lens and offers four recommendations for the actors that will shape the upcoming ordinary legislative procedure.