Luxembourg-based OQ Technology, which is specialising in European IoT and direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity provider, and holding 60 MHz of MSS S-band spectrum rights, has certified Nordic Semiconductor’s low-power nRF9151 cellular IoT chipset for use on its 3GPP-compliant NTN network. This follows on from the end-to-end connectivity tests to an OQ Low Earth Orbit (LEO) […]
The race to bring satellite calls and texts to ordinary smartphones has begun, after UK comms regulator Ofcom announced its final decisions about how the technology can be rolled out. Mobile operators are now joining with satellite companies to deliver ‘direct-to-device services’ to everyday smartphones up and down the UK. This involves satellites hundreds of […]
Viasat, a specialist in satellite communications, has published a report revealing that rising demand for direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity could open new revenue streams for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) — while posing a significant competitive challenge. The report – The Great Connectivity Convergence: NTN in Consumer Mobile – was conducted by GSMA Intelligence and surveyed more than 12,000 […]
South America’s Chile is the latest country to report that Starlink’s Direct-to-Device (D2D) is now available to its cellular users. “From forests to deserts, customers can now stay connected in the most remote areas with satellite-to-mobile technology,” said the local cellular telco, Entel (Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones SA). “The best customers deserve to stay connected […]
Elon Musk’s Starlink has updated its broadband-by-satellite options for Ukraine. Ukrainians can now buy the Starlink Mini service for the equivalent of $200 (€173) and use the Home Lite plan for $25/month, instead of the previous $450 kit and $75/month plan. Ukraine has just become one of the first countries in the world to launch […]
Would-be satellite-based direct-to-device (D2D) operator, Lynk Global has started beta-tests of its D2D service over the Philippines. SES has a significant stake in Lynk which itself is in the process of combining with Omnispace (announced in October). Following the merger, SES will become a major strategic shareholder in the combined business, facilitating a robust deployment […]
A forecast of the likely impact of Direct-to-Cellular (D2C) and Direct-to-Device (D2D) satellite-based connectivity delivers some strong numbers, and suggests that the 2025-2034 CAGR will be 52.3 per cent and taking the market size to a massive $41.12 billion (€35.6bn) by 2034. The data, from Market.US forecasts that more than half of the market (52.7 […]
During the Orange OpenTech event in Paris, Orange announced the launch of ‘Message Satellite’, a service that allows its customers based in mainland France to send and receive SMS messages as well as their geolocation via satellite when mobile or Wi-Fi coverage is unavailable. The service is currently available for use in France and 36 […]
Allied Market Research (AMR) estimate thats the Direct-2-Device (D2D) satellite market will by 32.7 per cent CAGR from 2025 to 2034, and take a market currently valued at some $2.5 billion (€2.1bn) to reach $43.3 billion by 2034. “The Government and Public Safety segment is projected to be the most lucrative segment during the analysis […]
Using Speedtest data, Ookla has taken a look at the early usage of T-Mobile’s T-Satellite service across T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and FirstNet users in the US. Speedtest data highlights the early usage of T-Mobile’s T-Satellite service, which works on most new iOS and Android smartphones released in the past 2-4 years. The service is available […]