Research |
22 % of European telcos active in D2D satellite
Satellite direct to device
( D2D) connectivity is
moving from concept to early
commercialisation in Europe,
according to research from
Omdia. While the market remains
at an early stage, momentum is
building: as of March 2026, 22 %
of European mobile network
operators have launched, are
trialling, or have announced
D2D satellite partnerships. This
level of activity signals growing
confidence that D2D will become
an important component of future
mobile service portfolios.
“ European telcos have
started to integrate D2D satellite
into their mobile portfolios,”
commented Julia Schindler,
Principal Analyst, Service
Provider Strategy, at Omdia.
“ Operators that use this early
phase to test technology, form
partnerships, and understand
customer demand will be better
positioned for a 6G future in
which terrestrial and nonterrestrial
networks are deeply
integrated.”
Commercial D2D services
in Europe are currently
limited to messaging and basic
data, constraining near term
monetisation opportunities.
As a result, most operators are
positioning D2D as a coverage and
resilience enhancer rather than a
standalone revenue driver. Typical
approaches include bundling D2D
capabilities into premium mobile
tiers or offering them as paid
add-ons, similar to international
roaming. While the market is
still at a very early stage, Omdia
believes now is the optimal time
for operators to experiment with
the technology, secure strategic
partnerships, and refine go to
market models before broader
adoption turns D2D into a more
commoditised service.
European operators are
largely converging on D2D
solutions that enable unmodified
smartphones to connect directly
to satellites using existing mobile
technologies. This approach offers
the most scalable pathway and
allows for tighter integration with
established mobile offerings and
billing systems.
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“ While Starlink has enabled
the fastest path to early
deployment, sovereignty and
control are becoming increasingly
important drivers for alternative
partner selection,” Schindler
continued.“ Many European telcos
are deliberately pursuing multivendor
strategies to preserve
flexibility and reduce long term
dependency as D2D becomes part
of critical national infrastructure.”
Alternative providers, such as
Satellite Connect Europe, are
becoming increasingly attractive
as operators diversify their
partner ecosystem.
Despite this progress,
regulatory uncertainty and
spectrum availability remain
the primary barriers to broader
commercial rollouts, with
regulatory readiness varying
significantly by country.
Nevertheless, Omdia expects
today’ s D2D trials and commercial
services to play a critical role
in preparing operators for the
6G era, when non‐terrestrial
networks are expected to be
natively embedded into terrestrial
networks.
“ D2D capabilities are limited
today, but their strategic
importance for the future should
not be underestimated,” Schindler
concluded.
Brits spend 28 hours a year deciding what to watch
Research from EE TV has
laid bare the epidemic of
Doombrowsing: as the average
viewer now burns through a
total of 28 hours a year browsing
through their TV and movie
options.
In effort to combat this, EE TV
has launched the Smart Search
feature, designed to work the
way that viewers actually think
and help them find something to
watch more efficiently.
Far from being a relaxing
wind-down, picking what to
watch has become a genuine
source of stress in British homes.
Over half( 51 %) say they feel
overwhelmed by the sheer volume
of choice, while over a third
( 38 %) have thrown in the towel
entirely and gone to bed without
watching a thing. A further 38 %
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say the nightly negotiation over
what to watch is now a source
of household tension, and 34 %
would rather just read a book
instead.
Two thirds( 66 %) of Brits
admit they’ ve fallen asleep
mid-browse without ever finding
anything, and 54 % admit they
often spend longer browsing than
actually watching. Additionally,
45 % have stopped trying
altogether, defaulting to a familiar
favourite they’ ve already seen,
simply because it’ s easier than
deciding.
It’ s a problem that’ s also
driving people to their phones,
with 70 per cent of Brits turning
to second screens to look up
actors, quotes or plot details
mid-browse before giving up on
their search, with 45 per cent
admitting that they often give up
and going back to their trusty old
TV show just to avoid deciding on
something new to watch.
Luciano Oliveira, Director of
Product, Home & TV, EE“ With
the sheer amount of great movies,
boxsets, and sport now available,
we hear the nation’ s frustration
with spending more time
searching than actually watching.
Smart Search and Mood Matcher
on EE TV are the perfect antidote
– together, they take the effort
out of choosing so you can get
straight to the entertainment you
love, with the hardest part of your
evening now being choosing the
right snacks, not the show.”
In addition to Smart Search,
EE TV has launched Mood
Matcher, which tackles the bigger
problem of not knowing what you
want at all. Customers can simply
answer a few quick questions
about how they’ re feeling, and
Mood Matcher serves up tailored
recommendations to help them
land on something fast, and
actually start watching.
Forecast: New TV OS to take 28 % of European market by 2030
TV Operating Systems that did
not exist in 2022 are forecast to
control 28 % of the European TV
operating system( OS) market
by 2030, up from 21 % in 2025,
according to Omdia’ s TV Design
& Features Tracker. This rapid
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shift underscores how TV brands are increasingly prioritising advertising revenue from the TV OS over traditional hardware revenue.
In Europe, Google TV currently leads with a 32 % share but will lose share gradually to three key competitors: V( formerly VIDAA), Titan OS and TiVo. These three platforms represent a growing group of independent operating systems that are successfully challenging Google TV in Europe.
While these platforms differ in their origins, they share a common business philosophy that is highly attractive to European TV manufacturers seeking to protect their profit margins and brand identity.
Unlike Google TV, which largely keeps advertising and data revenue within the Google ecosystem, V, Titan OS and TiVo offer active revenue-sharing models. This allows TV brands to earn a continuous stream of income from home-screen ads and FAST channels long after the initial hardware sale.
All three systems are primarily Linux-based and utilise webapp architectures rather than native Android apps. This makes them significantly lfaster, often requiring less powerful, and more cost-effective hardware to run smoothly compared to the more resource-heavy Google TV. This is especially important in 2026, as memory prices have spiked over the last year. The European TV market is highly competitive with slim hardware margins. Adopting a lean OS allows manufacturers to use more affordable processors while still delivering a responsive, 4K-capable interface that avoids the lag often seen in entry-level TV sets.
These platforms provide TV manufacturers with greater control over the User Experience( UX) and viewer data. While Google TV enforces a strict, standardised look and keeps viewer insights for its own ad engine, these independent players allow brands like Philips( Titan) and Hisense( VIDAA) to maintain a distinct brand feel and access their own audience analytics.
Titan OS, being European-
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