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. (T-Mobile is simultaneously pushing for 50% more channel revenue, which makes the satellite angle even more interesting for partners.) 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. The carrier loyalty trap was already eroding before satellite entered the picture. 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. Deloitte says telecoms must become platforms or die, and satellite is one more reason why. I’m saying the argument for carrier lock-in just got a lot weaker. The NVIDIA and T-Mobile AI RAN edge play shows how the network infrastructure is being reinvented in parallel. If you’re selling enterprise mobility without mentioning satellite as a fallback option, you’re already behind.