Regulators’ concerns over Direct-to-Device (D2D) range from defining operating conditions, spectrum use and coexistence between satellite and terrestrial systems to establishing oversight mechanisms for an entirely new ecosystem.

Chile currently represents the most advanced case in Latin America. With the implementation of D2D services by Entel and Starlink, the Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (Subsecretaría de Telecomunicaciones, Subtel) began assessing the regulatory framework that will accompany this new stage of the market. During Satellite Map Day 2026, José Antonio Rodríguez, head of Subtel’s Telecommunications Development Fund Division, explained that the country does not yet have data on adoption of these services, although it expects gradual expansion as other operators introduce this connectivity model.

The official stressed that Chile’s strategy continues to prioritize fiber optics as the main infrastructure for telecommunications development, while low-Earth orbit constellations play a complementary role. This complementarity is particularly relevant in a country with vast desert areas, island and mountainous territories, as well as high exposure to earthquakes and wildfires, where satellite connectivity can provide resilience for critical and emergency services.

Rodríguez also said the emergence of D2D requires the development of specific regulations for a model involving satellite operators that do not necessarily have infrastructure within the country. Among the regulatory challenges, he identified the need to organize the ecosystem’s new players, oversee their operations and define the treatment of the so-called “non-terrestrial network layer,” which acts as a link between the satellite operator and the mobile providers that market the service to end users.

Colombia has also begun adapting its regulatory framework. Sergio Sotomayor Rodríguez, director of the National Spectrum Agency (Agencia Nacional del Espectro, ANE), said the agency conducted various technical studies to assess coexistence between satellite and terrestrial systems and analyze the regulatory changes required to incorporate Direct-to-Device. Between December 2024 and June 2025, ANE conducted tests on equivalent power flux-density limits and reductions in exclusion angles for non-geostationary systems. The tests showed there is room to improve satellite network performance without causing interference across a broad operating range, although the agency deemed it necessary to conduct further studies before adopting a definitive position.

As part of that process, ANE completed a specific study to determine the separation distances required when satellite systems and terrestrial networks operate on the same frequencies, considering different scenarios based on orbital altitude. Based on this work, the regulator launched a public consultation aimed at identifying the regulatory changes needed to provide greater legal certainty for the development of D2D services.

Colombia faces another parallel challenge: strengthening space governance. In this regard, Sotomayor explained that studies conducted over the past year also confirmed the economic feasibility of developing a national geostationary communications satellite, primarily to meet the needs of government agencies. However, he warned that the current institutional structure lacks a specialized executive entity to oversee this type of project.

Claudia Bustamante Osorio of the Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC) agreed that D2D could become a relevant tool for reducing connectivity gaps in Colombia and the rest of Latin America, particularly in areas where conventional mobile networks have yet to achieve coverage. However, she said this development will depend on regulatory coordination at both the national and international levels, alongside discussions at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on new allocations for mobile satellite services and ahead of the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27).

The commissioner added that D2D development also requires progress on interoperability between satellite and terrestrial platforms, emergency centers, authentication systems and user management, as well as technical and commercial agreements among manufacturers, mobile operators and satellite providers. In this regard, Colombia has already launched a regulatory sandbox allowing different players to test business models that still face restrictions under the current framework, in addition to conducting tests of satellite services in areas without coverage.

The debate in Brazil. Brazil is approaching the issue from a different perspective. There, the regulatory debate focuses primarily on spectrum management and coexistence between geostationary and non-geostationary systems. Marcos Estevo, an adviser to Anatel’s Board of Directors, said the regulator considers current competitive conditions adequate and that, for now, there is no need to impose asymmetric regulatory measures on the satellite market, whose next review is scheduled for 2030.

The growth of LEO constellations, however, has increased pressure on frequency coordination. Estevo said the Ka and Ku bands are facing growing difficulties in accommodating new systems, which is why Anatel requires operators to demonstrate that frequency coordination processes have been completed in advance or, alternatively, accept operating without protection against potential interference. Meanwhile, new operators have expressed interest in accessing spectrum in the S, Q and V bands, reflecting the search for new alternatives to support the expansion of satellite services.

From the Brazilian Association of Satellite Telecommunications Companies (Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Telecomunicações por Satélite, Abrasat), Sergio Maia said the regulatory challenge is to preserve a balanced competitive environment as the market adopts new technological models. In this context, the sector’s evolution is shifting the focus from marketing satellite capacity toward offering integrated solutions, a trend that requires regulation to evolve at the same pace as market changes.