Despite being relatively new technology, a report from Taiwan-based TrendForce says that Direct-to-Cellular satellite technology will already grow near-50 per cent this year, and be worth $7.6 billion.

TrendForce says that with the technology maturing and global mobile communication standards 3GPP Release 17 and Release 18 continue to integrate satellite communications (SATCOM) into future standards, satellite operators are shifting to direct SATCOM connectivity for smartphones.

TrendForce notes that D2C technology effectively addresses connectivity gaps in remote areas without terrestrial base stations and significantly improves the efficiency of emergency communication.

“Direct-to-Cell adoption is rapidly increasing, supported by major telecom operators, with growth in both user numbers and engagement. The user base is broadening from individual consumers to include enterprise clients. For instance, mining firms and large agricultural companies in remote U.S. areas are eager to subscribe because they need real-time data in locations with poor connectivity. Consequently, both Starlink and AST SpaceMobile are focusing on the U.S. market to quickly build commercial momentum,” said TrendForce.

Additionally, telecom operators are looking to SATCOM technology to offer a value-added feature to smartphones that will allow them to generate more revenues as subscriber growth stagnates. At least temporarily before these features become a standard staple in service.

Elon Musk’s Starlink, a division of SpaceX, launched its Starlink Mobile service at Mobile World Congress 2026 (MWC) that will use its V2 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for text messaging, voice and video transmission.

Starlink recently signed a partnership with Deutsche Telekom that will allow users to automatically switch to Starlink’s SATCOM services when smartphones lose terrestrial service. In the US, Starlink launched a promotional bundle with U.S. mobile in April of 2026 for SATCOM coverage.

Meanwhile, AST SpaceMobile has a planned roll out of SATCOM D2C technology in the US, Europe and Japan for messaging, video and voice later this year.

Other posts by :

1. AST SpaceMobile updates on financials, launches
2. Amazon Leo, Starlink remain at loggerheads
3. AI: Anxious Intelligence
4. Reliance eyes LEO constellation
5. Ted Turner: Another giant sleeps
6. Orbex was losing £2m per month
7. McKinsey: ‘Star Wars Day’ sees Aerospace at an Inflection point
8. US spectrum shuffle could earn SES billions
9. FAA plans to tax rocket launches

Categories: Articles, Markets, Research

Tags: D2C, satellite, starlink, trendforce