Skylo

Deutsche Telekom’s launch of seamless IoT roaming across terrestrial, GEO, and LEO networks signals a practical turning point for standards‑based satellite IoT at global scale. Multi‑orbit roaming blends the strengths of geostationary (always‑on footprint, predictable links) with low‑earth orbit (lower latency, better high‑latitude reach) and terrestrial cellular to keep devices online where traditional networks fall short. The service has been validated on Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF9151—billed as the first 3GPP‑compliant cellular IoT module to support terrestrial NB‑IoT/LTE‑M and NB‑NTN over both GEO and LEO—which matters for total cost of ownership and speed to scale.
Orange is moving to commercialize direct-to-device satellite connectivity in Europe with a carrier-branded SMS service that extends coverage beyond terrestrial reach. Orange will launch “Message Satellite,” an SMS and location-sharing service that lets smartphones connect directly to satellites when mobile or Wi‑Fi coverage is unavailable. The consumer launch in mainland France is slated for 11 December 2025, with professional and enterprise availability following in 2026. At launch, the service will be offered to Orange 5G and 5G+ customers using Google Pixel 9 or Pixel 10 devices, with additional handsets expected over time. Pricing is set at €5 per month after a six‑month free introductory period.
New usage data shows AT&T subscribers are tapping into T-Mobile’s Starlink-powered T-Satellite more than expected, signaling a rapid shift in how carriers and customers think about direct-to-device connectivity. Speedtest intelligence indicates T-Mobile users account for the majority of direct-to-device (D2D) connections to Starlink, roughly six in ten overall and more than seven in ten among devices reporting active service at connection time. The surprise is AT&T’s footprint: about a third of observed connections come from AT&T subscribers, while Verizon’s share is minimal.
The global wearables market has more than doubled since 2021 and is entering a new cycle driven by AI-enabled, gesture-first devices. After a post-pandemic correction, volumes are stabilizing as value rises, helped by richer sensing, better compute and broader use cases. The next leg of growth centers on “intent-based” interaction—reading minute muscle or motion signals to control devices without touching a screen or speaking a command. The appeal is clear: faster command throughput, fewer errors in noisy environments, and safer operation in motion or sterile settings.
Viasat and Skylo have shared messages from a mobile device over satellite for the first time in the Kingdom.
In this episode of the 5G Guys podcast, hosts Wayne Smith and Dan McVaugh delve into the world of satellite connectivity with Tarun Gupta, co-founder of Skylo Technologies. Learn how Skylo is pioneering 5G and satellite integration to enhance IoT, SMS, and voice services globally. Discover the advantages of their standards-based approach and how it differentiates from other satellite services like Starlink and AST SpaceMobile.

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