While the channel spent 2025 arguing about Cisco vs. Broadcom partner programs, SpaceX quietly rolled out direct-to-device satellite connectivity. T-Mobile already has a deal — launched commercially in July 2025. VMO2 signed up for rural UK coverage. AST SpaceMobile is targeting commercial launch early this year.
This isn't about rural broadband anymore. Direct-to-device means any phone, anywhere, gets connectivity without a cell tower. For enterprise customers with distributed workforces, that eliminates the last argument for traditional carrier contracts in coverage-challenged areas.
The channel hasn't priced this in yet. If your competitive advantage is your carrier's coverage map, that advantage now has an expiration date. SpaceX has already launched commercial D2D service with T-Mobile and is scaling satellite production aggressively. They're not building this for rural broadband. They're building it for everyone.
I'm not saying carriers are dead. I'm saying the argument for carrier lock-in just got a lot weaker, and if you're selling enterprise mobility without mentioning satellite as a fallback option, you're already behind.