Network operators around the world are racing to adapt as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites prepare to reshape global connectivity.
With new constellations from Amazon, Starlink, and OneWeb coming online, telcos say 2026 is shaping up as a landmark year in which satellite networks are no longer niche solutions, but a viable complement—or even alternative—to terrestrial fibre and cellular infrastructure.
“People are going to be surprised how fast the transition is going to go once it becomes mainstream,” says Fernando Vargas, Director of Media and Corporate Communications at MTN. “Suddenly you’re not going to rely on a cable to have internet at your home or in your company or in your business, how fast connectivity is going to come from the sky.”
Certainly, the past few months has witnessed a scurry of deals and corporate agreements as operators forge partnerships, integrate hybrid systems, and rethink enterprise offerings to ensure they can deliver resilient, always-on connectivity in an era where the sky itself is becoming part of the network.
In Europe, Vodafone announced an agreement with AST SpaceMobile, aiming to eliminate mobile “not-spots” by connecting devices directly to space-based networks. BT Group announced a partnership with Starlink to deliver reliable, high-speed, low-latency satellite broadband to BT and EE customers, initially focusing on enterprise and consumer broadband rather than direct-to-device services. And Virgin Media O2 has also announced a multi-year partnership with Starlink Direct to Cell, which aims to bring mobile coverage to some of the country’s hardest-to-reach “not-spots.”
For US-based MTN, a company that has made a name for itself delivering fully managed connectivity for critical systems and remote teams across the maritime, energy, government, and enterprise sectors, it’s a chance to integrate more providers into its existing hybrid services.
MTN’s core platforms, StarEdge and StarEdge Horizon, already integrate LEO satellites—including Starlink and OneWeb—with GEO satellites and terrestrial 5G/4G/LTE networks – something Vargas says means it can chop and change between different networks and constellations, maintaining continuity even in disaster zones, remote farms, or maritime operations.
The company’s StarEdge Horizon offers a private Layer 2 connection over Starlink, ensuring sensitive data travels directly to MTN regional points of presence without touching the public internet. Direct Cloud integration with Amazon LEO also provides a seamless “Edge-to-Cloud” connection for enterprises already operating within the AWS ecosystem.
“When you have an earthquake, it can break the system… satellite connectivity doesn’t have that weakness. You can count on first responders having connectivity to assist and operate effectively,” says Vargas, speaking to IoT Insider at the IoT Tech Expo in London last week. “Rather than being disrupted by a single provider, MTN integrates LEO with other systems; if one constellation has a localised outage or congestion, StarEdge Horizon automatically fails over to the next.”
Hybrid network models also allow operators to manage regulatory and geopolitical complexities. MTN can switch automatically between LEO providers depending on where a vessel or operation is located, ensuring legal compliance and uninterrupted service even in regions with restricted access to certain satellite constellations.
Vargas says competition among LEO providers is lowering hardware costs and creating options for network operators to optimise service for performance or price.
“Millions of lives are going to improve, because now farmers in remote places or workers in remote areas are going to be part of the digital economy—they have the same level of connection as someone in the middle of the city,” he says.
The practical applications span industries. In agriculture, IoT sensors can now transmit real-time soil and crop data from remote fields, enabling farmers to optimise yield and efficiency. In energy, oil and gas platforms in the middle of oceans can maintain mission-critical monitoring and operational data flows. Maritime clients, from commercial shipping to expedition cruise lines reaching the Arctic, rely on satellite connectivity as their primary or backup network.
“If you want devices working everywhere, LEO satellites… fibre can’t always reach, and deploying it is often too expensive,” Vargas says. “The first question IoT companies should ask is: how reliable is your network right now? In mining, every hour of downtime can cost millions. With LEO satellites, you can maintain connectivity even in remote operations.”
Looking ahead, MTN sees the adoption curve accelerating. “People are going to be surprised how fast the transition is going to go,” Vargas says. By 2027, satellite connectivity is expected to be a standard feature in corporate networks rather than a niche backup, providing enterprises with seamless access anywhere.”
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