US Carriers Team Up for Rural Wireless Expansion Using Shared Spectrum and Satellites

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon announced an agreement in principle to form a joint venture that would pool ground-based spectrum and invest in satellite-based, direct-to-device connectivity to close wireless dead zones, aiming to create a unified standard with satellite operators; the plan is still under negotiation and subject to closing conditions, but could improve coverage in rural and hard-to-reach areas.