New Delhi, Oct. 20 -- Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone, Europe's four largest telecom groups, are reportedly exploring the possibility of launching their own satellite mobile services to reduce dependence on suppliers outside the bloc and challenge the dominance of billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink.

The Financial Times reported on Monday (local time) that the companies had signed a letter of intent to explore a joint bid for radio spectrum that would allow them to provide "direct-to-device" satellite mobile services across Europe. The move could further escalate transatlantic tensions over communications technology.

The development comes as Musk's Starlink faces controversies in countries ranging from Ukraine to Ind...