GSMA launches Satellite Regulatory Playbook to guide governments on satellite connectivity

The GSM Association has launched a Satellite Regulatory Playbook to help governments manage the global boom in satellite connectivity, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria.

The playbook is designed to help governments develop modern regulatory frameworks for the rapidly expanding satellite connectivity sector, as direct-to-device and satellite broadband services gain growing prominence globally.

The launch was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday.

GSMA’s Head of Policy and Regulation, Michaela Angonius said the guide provides policymakers with practical tools to regulate emerging satellite broadband and direct-to-device services that currently fall outside many existing regulatory frameworks.

NAN reports that the playbook identifies eight key regulatory pillars that governments can consider when developing or updating national frameworks for satellite services.

What GSMA is saying

Angonius said the rapid evolution of the global communications landscape, driven by satellite connectivity’s growing role, gives policymakers a timely opportunity to build regulatory frameworks fit for the future.

• “As satellite connectivity becomes an increasingly important part of the global communications landscape, policymakers have an opportunity to create regulatory frameworks that are fit for the future,” she said.

She said the playbook offers practical recommendations that governments can adapt to their own national circumstances while keeping pace with ongoing technological innovation in the sector.

Angonius stressed that regulation should not force a choice between terrestrial and satellite networks, but should instead remain technology-neutral.

• “Connectivity is not a choice between terrestrial and satellite networks. Regulation should, therefore, be technology-neutral and focused on delivering consistent outcomes for consumers and society,” she said.

She said the playbook is intended to help establish frameworks that protect consumers, support law enforcement requirements and encourage continued investment across the broader communications sector.

More insights

Angonius said the playbook, developed in collaboration with Access Partnership, specifically targets satellite broadband and direct-to-device services delivered straight to end users, an area she said often falls into regulatory gaps.

• She noted that existing regulatory frameworks typically have established safeguards for arrangements involving mobile network operators, but similar protections are frequently missing for newer satellite-based service models.
• Angonius said no single connectivity technology can meet society’s long-term communications needs on its own, stressing the importance of mobile, fixed, and satellite networks working together as complementary parts of a broader ecosystem.

She added that regulatory frameworks should evolve to ensure users receive comparable protections and benefits regardless of which technology is used to deliver their connectivity, whether terrestrial or satellite-based.

What you should know

This comes amid moves by network operators to expand digital access across Africa.

• Earlier this year, Nairametrics reported that a coalition of Africa’s largest mobile network operators was set to launch an affordable smartphone priced at approximately N56,000 ($40) across six African countries, including Nigeria, in a bid to accelerate digital inclusion and connect millions more people to the internet.
• The initiative, led by the GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition, was announced during a press briefing at the African Pavilion at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.

The coalition comprises major telecommunications operators such as Airtel Africa, Axian Telecom, Ethio Telecom, Orange, Vodacom Group, and MTN Group. Together, these companies serve around 800 million mobile subscribers across Africa, providing the scale needed to drive widespread smartphone adoption and expand access to digital services across the continent.