Norway and Iceland To Join Europe’s Starlink Alternative
The two Nordic countries will use IRIS² for secure communications
May 13, 2026 | Share 
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Norway and Iceland have signed agreements with the European Union to participate in the upcoming IRIS² satellite constellation project. This increased cooperation between European countries comes at a time when they are trying to decouple from their reliance on the U.S. and U.S. companies like Starlink.
A European satellite constellation
The Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite project, or IRIS², is the European Union’s effort to create its own low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. The IRIS² system will be the EU’s alternative to constellations like Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon Leo. The goal of the project is for the EU to operate its own communication infrastructure for sensitive purposes like defense.
When completed, IRIS² will be a multi-orbital constellation of 290 satellites, consisting of both medium-Earth orbit (MEO) and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. It will serve connectivity dead zones in rural areas, provide mobile internet connections for commercial vehicles, and provide connections to strategic areas outside of Europe, such as Africa and the Arctic.
On January 16, 2026, the project hit one of its first major milestones, bringing the Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM) service online. GOVSATCOM is designed as a stopgap measure, providing secure communications to military and government users while IRIS² is being built. The service works by using bandwidth from existing communications satellites and pooling their capacity to be shared out across EU member states.
Expanding cooperation
As of March 26, 2026, Norway and Iceland are now participating in both the GOVSATCOM and IRIS² programs. This means that both countries will have access to secure communications for both military and government use.
Although both Norway and Iceland participate in the European Economic Area and the EU’s single market, neither are EU members. This expansion of IRIS² participation beyond the borders of the European Union also means that other allied states, such as the U.K. or Canada, could potentially join the project as well.
By joining the IRIS² project, Norway and Iceland have also pledged to contribute funds to its construction. Iceland will contribute more than €1.7 million over the next two years, and Norway will contribute about €40 million.
Decoupling from US tech
Europe’s move to create its own satellite network independent of companies like Starlink is part of a broader trend of Europe decoupling from the United States and U.S. tech companies in particular. Companies like Apple and Meta have been found to have repeatedly violated EU regulations like the Digital Markets Act by infringing on user privacy and engaging in anti-competitive behaviors. These tensions have been further exacerbated by President Trump’s tariff war with the EU.
Reliance on Starlink has been a particular worry for European countries after Elon Musk disrupted a Ukrainian offensive in 2022 by cutting coverage to certain areas of the country. With the U.S. becoming a less reliable ally, European leaders have made removing their dependence on American tech firms a critical priority.
During the 2025 Summit on European Digital Sovereignty, French President Emmanuel Macron said that:
“…collaboration across borders is not just an aspiration but a strategic imperative. Private and public actors now need to accelerate together to develop and fully adopt European technologies.”
The desire to move away from U.S. Big Tech isn’t just held by European leaders. A 2026 YouGov poll found that almost two-thirds of Europeans back replacing U.S tech.
While the current GOVSATCOM program is only for government and military use, the completed IRIS² constellation will also provide services to private companies and European citizens, though it’s not clear to what extent residential internet customers in Europe will have access to the network or how it will compare to other providers like Starlink and Amazon Leo when it eventually launches.
Author - Peter Christiansen
Peter Christiansen writes about telecom policy, communications infrastructure, satellite internet, and rural connectivity for HighSpeedInternet.com. Peter holds a PhD in communication from the University of Utah and has been working in tech for over 15 years as a computer programmer, game developer, filmmaker, and writer. His writing has been praised by outlets like Wired, Digital Humanities Now, and the New Statesman.
Editor - Jessica Brooksby
Jessica loves bringing her passion for the written word and her love of tech into one space at HighSpeedInternet.com. She works with the team’s writers to revise strong, user-focused content so every reader can find the tech that works for them. Jessica has a bachelor’s degree in English from Utah Valley University and seven years of creative and editorial experience. Outside of work, she spends her time gaming, reading, painting, and buying an excessive amount of Legend of Zelda merchandise.
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