AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile form satellite connectivity joint venture

Major U.S. mobile network operators AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have announced the formation of a joint venture to expand satellite direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity across the United States. The initiative aims to eliminate terrestrial cellular dead zones and stabilize emergency communications in remote or underserved regions.

The joint venture will function as a collaborative platform to standardize operating interfaces, harmonize consumer access, and simplify how mobile devices transition between terrestrial towers and satellite payloads. While the carriers will continue their individual commercial agreements—such as AT&T and Verizon’s work with AST SpaceMobile and T-Mobile’s deployment with SpaceX’s Starlink—the consortium will pool technical specifications to accelerate feature rollouts and ensure consistent performance across mobile hardware.

Paul Roth, a wireless industry veteran with previous leadership roles at AT&T, Cingular Wireless, and Ameritech, has been appointed as the interim chief executive officer. The board is currently conducting a search for a permanent leader.