Iridium Satellite Communications was the original Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite operator who “made LEO cool” before it became a buzzword, Brian Aziz, VP of the company, told IoT Insider in an exclusive interview.
Direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity is the space in which Iridum operates, where devices like smartphones and IoT devices can communicate directly with satellites where terrestrial infrastructure is unreachable or patchy. The technology Iridium brings to the table is its LEO satellite constellation and personal devices, terminals, and antennas.
Iridium covers a wide array of industries, such as aviation where its satellites cover emergency calling for pilots and crew; maritime, where it provides coverage for emergency calling; and in IoT, where its customers developing personal communication devices sold in supermarkets and stores need Iridium technology so end users can send out an emergency SMS using its satellites.
Before, the company operated a proprietary solution – which it has no intentions of leaving, because it allows it to offer a “premium service” – but in the spirit of helping the development of satellite communications along, Iridium is now participating in the 3GPP Release 19, which will standardise satellite communications and is slated to be finalised by the end of this year. Iridium is working with 3GPP to contribute to specifications required to operate on the Iridium network and incorporate the band it operates on.
“We started that effort in December 2023 [and] by September 2024 … the 3GPP community said, ‘Yeah this makes a lot of sense. We want Iridium to be a work item as part of Release 19. Let’s incorporate their band.’”
This is because the community in question – a combination of chip manufacturers, device makers and MNOs – all saw the value in integrating a satellite operator’s network into non-terrestrial (NTN) communications, said Aziz.
Chip manufacturers like Qualcomm for instance, are designing to the latest standard, which means any smartphone with their chipset inside is going to be able to communicate using satellites – according to Counterpoint Research, as of June 2025 Qualcomm controlled 28% of the market share, which is no small number.
“The beauty of it is … our network isn’t requiring any hardware changes for these chip makers or hardware manufacturers,” said Aziz. “They can use the same cellular chip they use today, they can use the same antenna they use today and continue to develop the same products.”
This is from the consumer side. But from the enterprise side, Iridium announced a partnership with Nordic Semiconductor in October 2024, where Iridium’s NTN Direct service will be integrated into Nordic’s LTE-M/NB-IoT modules and chipsets.
“They [Nordic] were the first chip and module maker out of the gate that raised their hand and said, ‘Hey, we want to work with you guys. We see some real value here in terms of your connectivity and your footprint.’”
One major opportunity identified in this partnership is smart metering, because of the kinds of remote locations in which smart meters are deployed where connectivity can be unreliable. But for smart meters to work at their best, they need constant connectivity. If a fault occurs with the meter, sending out a technician to figure out what’s wrong can be costly.
“But because the MNO hasn’t built infrastructure out to certain parts of any particular country, they [utility company] don’t have a choice,” elaborated Aziz. “They’re going to send someone out there … who’s going to spend an hour … coming back just to get a meter reading, for example.
“They can now do that utilising the same hardware they’ve been buying forever, but it can reach a network.”
How MNOs can take advantage of the satellite opportunity
Other players are starting to take notice, said Aziz, more specifically traditional mobile network operators (MNOs) who see a real opportunity in satellite communications to fill coverage gaps and improve their customer service.
“What’s happening in this industry is … this convergence between terrestrial operators and satellite operators,” explained Aziz. “MNOs know they’re looking at stagnant revenues. They’re not growing their subscriber bases as much as they’d like, and they’re looking for an opportunity that allows them to … span their revenue opportunity, expand their subscribers, and offer something unique and … extend the boundaries of their coverage.”
This recognition has given rise to partnerships between satellite operators, like Iridium, and terrestrial operators to cater to consumer and enterprise customers. According to Aziz, NTN has generated “buzz” among the industry and MNOs have been receptive to the technology.
But the challenge is not in understanding the technology, the challenge is in packaging the commercial opportunity appropriately so the MNOs can sell it to their customers. This is because satellite operators are selling a premium service that may be more costly to use than traditional cellular infrastructure.
Because of this price consciousness, Iridium only charges customers on its network for what they use.
“Our plan, because we own and operate our own network, is to be able to give them [MNOs] this inbound roaming capability. So if you’re a Verizon customer and … you’re out on a canyon somewhere where there is no terrestrial connectivity for a couple of hours, you can lean on Iridium.
“We think that’s very different from some of the models being presented today,” Aziz continued. “Because it goes back to consumers’ willingness to pay a monthly recurring charge based on something they may or may not use.”
For Iridium, as a satellite operator, users who use cellular coverage and switch to satellite to supplement the gaps may prove fairly invisible but partnering with an MNO and gaining access to their customers opens up a whole new customer base. The challenge is for operators like Iridium to capture it.
“I’m not going to be able to charge that crazy satellite premium that I’m able to justify today. I need it in a way that is somewhat level … with cellular rates,” Aziz explained. “There’s still [going to] be a small premium … for satellites, but we need [it] to be as in line as possible with cellular rates.”
The future of satcom
Satellite communications may have had a reputation for being costly and for only being the reserve of emergency services calling, but the development in the industry is changing that. By providing satellite connectivity without the need to change hardware, the cost passed onto end users should be reduced.
Aziz had three key takeaways: establishing global coverage from day one, Iridium’s position in the market, and leveraging its existing constellation to provide coverage.
“There are going to be no dead zones,” Aziz emphasised.
From a commercial perspective, being a company that was first launched in 2000 puts Iridium in a good position for MNOs looking for a reliable partner.
“We’ve been in this business for 25 years. Our earnings report … continue to show growth and strength in our business,” he said. “That’s important for big brands.”
Finally, it won’t need to launch further satellites to fulfil its mission and will instead use its existing constellation with a life expectancy through 2035 – meaning there is no risk involved, said Aziz.
“We’re excited about this,” Aziz concluded. “We’re going to be live on air with a capability that Nordic Semiconductor and some others are going to be testing on our satellites this summer.”
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