AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile have officially launched the joint venture they first announced as an "agreement in principle" back in May, according to GSMArena. The new company will be run by an interim CEO, Paul Roth, while the three carriers search for a permanent one. Roth has previously held leadership roles at AT&T, Cingular Wireless and Ameritech.
The venture is managed by a board of representatives from each of the three carriers. Its stated goals are to "nearly eliminate" dead zones in the US, reach areas that have never had service, provide redundant connectivity during emergencies, and give customers simpler access to satellite services across providers. Existing satellite agreements stay in place, and each carrier says it will keep working on connectivity independently as well.
What the US carriers joint venture plans to do
The first practical step is direct-to-device satellite access, which the press release says will improve as the three carriers pool their investment. The idea is that more satellite providers get the chance to "compete, invest, and grow", which the carriers argue will increase competition because consumers will have more satellite options to choose from.
The joint venture also plans to work with rural mobile network operators so they can bring new products to their own customers. Longer term, the carriers say they want a standards-based approach to satellite development, involving operating system providers, app developers and device makers, so that the user experience on satellite networks improves across the board.
- Interim CEO: Paul Roth, a veteran of AT&T, Cingular Wireless and Ameritech
- Governance: a board with representatives from AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile
