Summary
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon have entered an agreement for a joint venture to expand satellite-enabled connectivity in underserved parts of the United States. The companies named Paul Roth interim CEO and say the venture will complement their terrestrial mobile networks.
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon have entered an agreement to form a joint venture aimed at extending mobile connectivity in underserved parts of the United States. In an announcement dated Oct. 1, 2026, the carriers named wireless-industry executive Paul Roth interim CEO while they search for a permanent chief executive.
The venture is intended to add satellite-enabled service where conventional mobile coverage is limited, while complementing—not replacing—the carriers’ terrestrial networks. The companies say it will pool limited spectrum resources, following a May announcement about combining those resources to expand satellite coverage.
How the venture is intended to work
The companies describe the joint venture as a way to make satellite connectivity easier to deliver across providers. A first priority, they say, is improving direct-to-device (D2D) access: a connection between a mobile device and a satellite, rather than one that depends on a nearby ground-based cell site.
The venture also plans to develop common technical specifications for satellite services. Shared specifications can help devices and networks work more consistently across providers; the companies say this approach should simplify integration and support industry-wide device compatibility. They also expect the venture to help mobile network operators, including rural operators, bring satellite-enabled products to customers.
The announcement presents satellite links as a complement to everyday cellular service and as a possible backup when ground networks are disrupted by extreme natural disasters or other unusual events. It says the venture aims to reach areas in the United States that currently lack mobile service and to nearly eliminate those coverage gaps. These are goals for the venture, not coverage changes reported as already delivered.
What the agreement changes
The three carriers are creating a shared framework for satellite connectivity while retaining flexibility to pursue their own efforts. Existing carrier-satellite agreements will remain in place, and each partner can continue connectivity work independently. The venture is therefore an additional route for coordinating spectrum use, technical integration and service development, rather than an exclusive arrangement replacing existing partnerships.
The companies say the shared effort could make it easier for more satellite providers to compete and for new communications services to be developed. If common specifications are adopted across devices and networks, customers could have a more consistent experience when satellite service is available. Those outcomes depend on the venture’s implementation and the services it ultimately brings to market.
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon say the joint venture is designed to nearly eliminate US mobile-service dead zones and improve connectivity options. The announcement establishes the companies’ agreement and leadership plan; its coverage and reliability benefits remain intended outcomes. The venture will be overseen by a board with representatives from each founding carrier.