Viasat, recognized globally for its secure satellite broadband services and defense communications capabilities, has joined forces with Space42, a rising powerhouse in orbital data transport and next-gen satellite operations. Together, the two companies have launched a groundbreaking Direct-to-Device (D2D) joint venture aimed at redefining how users connect through space-based networks.
The launch of this joint venture signals a strategic alignment: combining Viasat’s advanced satellite infrastructure with Space42’s agile innovation in orbital technology. The goal? To unlock seamless, always-on connectivity direct to standard mobile devices—bypassing ground infrastructure. This bold move positions both companies to meet surging demand for global, uninterrupted communication, from metropolitan hubs to underserved rural regions. How will this collaborative effort reshape the future of mobile networks? All signs point to a massive leap forward.
The surge in mobile internet usage shows no signs of slowing. According to the GSMA’s Mobile Economy 2023 report, global mobile internet users reached 4.5 billion in 2022 and are projected to exceed 5 billion by 2030. With smartphones now the default communication device for over 70% of the global population, the demand for reliable, high-speed connectivity—anytime, anywhere—continues to intensify.
Video streaming, mobile commerce, real-time apps, and cloud-based enterprise systems drive bandwidth consumption and place pressure on terrestrial networks. Mobile broadband traffic per user is expected to grow from 15 GB/month in 2022 to 47 GB/month by 2028, based on Ericsson’s Mobility Report. Networks constrained by geography or infrastructure limitations cannot consistently meet these rising performance expectations.
Despite dramatic progress, approximately 2.6 billion people worldwide still lack internet access, most of them in rural Africa, South Asia, and remote island nations, as reported by ITU in 2023. Even in developed economies, underserved areas—mountainous terrain, large forests, desert expanses—struggle with reliable coverage.
For critical applications such as autonomous maritime navigation, precision agriculture, or disaster response, coverage black spots are not an inconvenience—they’re operational failures. Ships on global transit routes and aircraft crossing polar regions routinely step into connectivity voids. These gaps represent not only lost productivity but also heightened safety risks.
The market for direct-to-device (D2D) and mobile satellite services is gaining traction, transitioning from experimental deployments to scalable commercial ventures. Market research from NSR (now part of Analysys Mason) estimates that D2D services will generate over $66 billion in cumulative revenue from 2023 to 2032. Nearly half of that value will come from consumer smartphone connectivity, while the rest will be driven by IoT endpoints, emergency systems, and transportation sectors.
New players—startups, telecoms, aerospace manufacturers—are pouring investment into space-based networks, anticipating explosive growth in cross-border connectivity demand. The value lies not just in direct access, but in eliminating dependencies on terrestrial infrastructure without sacrificing performance.
Global spectrum policy increasingly acts as the control point for next-generation communications. L-band, S-band, and C-band allocations, along with segments of Ka-band and beyond, are fundamental to ensuring interference-free operations and wide-area penetration. The 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23) introduced key resolutions expanding the use of non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) constellations for mobile service delivery.
Without adequate, harmonized spectrum access, D2D connectivity ambitions will remain aspirational. Countries allocating satellite-compatible spectrum and enabling dynamic sharing models will attract infrastructure investment. Spectrum is not just a technical resource—it’s strategic capital in the race for global, always-on connectivity.
Satellite communications began in 1962 with the launch of Telstar 1, transmitting television signals across the Atlantic and marking the first commercial use of space-based communications. Through the 1970s and 1980s, geostationary satellites laid the foundation for long-distance telephony and broadcast distribution. Their fixed position 35,786 kilometers above the equator enabled consistent connectivity, especially to remote or underserved geographies.
The landscape started shifting in the late 1990s as engineers experimented with medium and low Earth orbit constellations. Unlike their geostationary counterparts, these satellites moved rapidly across the sky, requiring handoffs between units. Despite the complexity, this architecture delivered dramatic improvements in latency, setting the stage for new use cases—especially data-intensive and real-time services.
Geostationary (GEO) satellites offer persistent coverage over large areas and remain the cornerstone for broadcast and fixed satellite services. Their fixed position simplifies terminals on the ground, making them ideal for television, maritime communications, and government applications.
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, by contrast, orbit at altitudes ranging from 160 to 2,000 kilometers. This proximity to Earth dramatically reduces signal latency—down to 25–50 milliseconds versus 600+ milliseconds for GEO—and makes direct connectivity to consumer devices feasible. Large LEO constellations now use laser inter-satellite links and mesh networking, enabling packets to route in space before reaching ground stations. The result: higher throughput, lower latency, and improved uptime.
By combining GEO’s persistent reach with LEO’s responsiveness, hybrid networks balance coverage and performance. This configuration supports the seamless delivery of mobile broadband, IOT backhaul, and increasingly, direct-to-device services at scale.
As satellite networks transitioned from bent-pipe architectures to digital payload systems, the ability to beam broadband directly to devices without terrestrial relay points took shape. Software-defined payloads now dynamically allocate bandwidth, shift frequencies, and redirect beams on-the-fly—functions that make adaptive, resilient communications possible in a mobile context.
Smartphones embedded with satellite-compatible chipsets can now link to orbital networks without external antennas. This creates an uninterrupted overlay network that augments ground infrastructure. Emergency communications, remote surveillance, and global asset tracking are no longer niche applications; they represent the blueprint for the next generation of always-on connectivity.
Consider this: ASEAN fishing fleets, trans-Siberian railways, rural clinics in Patagonia, and Alpine hikers can all access reliable, low-latency data regardless of terrestrial coverage gaps. Satellite communications no longer operates behind the scenes—it’s becoming the last-mile enabler for every device in every corner of the planet.
Direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communication eliminates reliance on terrestrial infrastructure such as cellular towers, fiber networks, or relay stations. Instead of bouncing signals from satellite to earth stations and back through intermediate networks, this model creates a straight path from satellite to end-user device. The result? True global coverage, unrestricted by geography.
Mountains, oceans, jungles, and deserts—historically underserved due to logistical and economic constraints—suddenly become accessible. D2D takes the concept of ubiquitous connectivity and makes it operational reality.
D2D does not require bulky satellite phones or external antennas. With narrow-beam, low Earth orbit satellites designed for mobile-friendly frequency bands like S-band and Ka-band, everyday devices—smartphones, connected cars, UAVs, and IoT modules—become satellite terminals.
This is not a theoretical model. Prototypes have already demonstrated uplinks from standard handsets in non-line-of-sight environments at viable latencies. Viasat and Space42 aim to scale this beyond pilots into commercial-grade services.
D2D services aren’t replacing mobile networks—they extend them. The vision involves seamless handover between terrestrial 5G and satellite connectivity using shared spectrum and unified core architectures. From a user’s perspective, there's no switching—just continuous service.
This hybrid architecture allows mobile network operators to offer satellite augmentation without deploying new infrastructure. Subscribers roam from ground to space without knowing it happened. For the operator, it means lower overhead. For the user, it means continuity during travel, extreme weather, or disaster recovery scenarios.
Several industries stand to win big from D2D connectivity. Here's how:
This is where the promise of inclusion becomes operational—connectivity not just as a convenience, but as a service layer for global development.
At the heart of the Viasat and Space42 D2D joint venture lies a calculated alignment of capabilities. Each organization brings unique core assets to the table—creating a foundation not only built for present market needs but engineered for scale, resilience, and innovation.
Viasat steps into this partnership with a powerful arsenal: a track record of delivering secure, high-throughput satellite communications. Its ViaSat-3 constellation, designed to provide near-global coverage with each satellite capable of offering over 1 Tbps of throughput, marks a significant technical advantage. Combined with ground networks across multiple continents, Viasat ensures the connectivity backbone is ready to support real-time, data-intensive mobile applications.
Moreover, its deep relationships with national defense, aviation, and enterprise customers bring an immediate user base equipped to adopt and scale D2D services globally.
Space42 contributes a complementary edge—infused capital along with a sharp regional focus, especially across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. The entity has already committed extensive investment toward advanced LEO and MEO satellite platforms tailored to low-latency, resilient communications in underserved regions. This positions Space42 as the cornerstone in expanding mobile satellite services to geographies traditionally bypassed by terrestrial networks.
Leadership in regional regulatory engagement further accelerates the readiness of spectrum allocation and operational access where ground-level complexities often stall competitors.
The structure of the joint venture concentrates decision-making authority and R&D collaboration into a single operational entity, combining Viasat’s technical and commercial expertise with Space42’s regional implementation capabilities. While specific ownership stakes remain undisclosed, governance is reported to be evenly constituted, enabling joint oversight and rapid deployment strategies. The venture’s product roadmap focuses on integrating D2D services into 4G/5G consumer devices, offering ubiquitous coverage without the need for proprietary hardware.
This collaboration eliminates infrastructure silos and leverages space assets under unified control. The result? Rapid acceleration in bringing direct-to-device satellite services from prototype to global scale without compromising on performance or reach.
To enable seamless direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity, the joint venture between Viasat and Space42 will finance and deploy a multi-layered satellite and ground infrastructure system. The roadmap includes the integration of newly designed low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites with geostationary and medium Earth orbit (GEO and MEO) constellations to deliver persistent global coverage. Each satellite will be equipped with software-defined payloads, beamforming capabilities, and inter-satellite links to allow intelligent traffic distribution and in-orbit reconfiguration. Terrestrial gateways will undergo phased upgrades as well, incorporating edge computing and AI-based routing systems to optimize throughput and latency.
Viasat will extend its existing global network of teleports, fiber interconnects, and ground stations to support the traffic generated by the D2D service. The company currently operates over 50 ground stations across six continents, serving as data relays, traffic concentrators and command & control outposts. These assets will be repurposed and expanded to deliver low-latency, always-on links to mobile devices. With Ka- and S-band support, these facilities will manage both broadband uplink/downlink traffic and critical control signals, forming the terrestrial backbone of the service.
Space42 brings existing spectrum access, satellite capacity, and established market connections throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. The company’s regional ground presence enhances the redundancy and resiliency of the evolving D2D architecture. In particular, Space42’s participation enables localized edge caching and region-specific service optimization, minimizing regulatory delays and accelerating time-to-market in underserved regions. By aligning orbital assets and coordinating coverage maps, Space42’s infrastructure complements Viasat’s intercontinental reach with crucial geographic depth.
Each phase builds on a modular infrastructure framework, creating a scalable network core capable of delivering ultra-reliable, low-latency connections to billions of mobile devices—regardless of their location on Earth.
The Direct-to-Device (D2D) architecture relies on precise access to radio frequency spectrum. Without a secure and well-coordinated spectrum strategy, global, device-native satellite connections remain unfeasible. The Viasat and Space42 D2D initiative is leveraging a combination of 3GPP-defined spectrum tiers, with a focus on sub-3 GHz bands, which deliver favorable propagation characteristics and device-level penetration.
Specifically, the joint venture targets:
Utilization of these spectrum blocks enables the network to bridge cellular coverage gaps without altering consumer hardware, aligning with the 3GPP Release 17 framework for Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN).
The technical spectrum design only succeeds with synchronized regulatory alignment. Viasat and Space42 are actively engaging with domestic agencies and multilateral forums, including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and regional bodies such as CEPT and CITEL, to ensure spectrum harmonization and usage rights. This coordination guarantees legal authorization to operate satellite payloads that interface with unmodified user equipment worldwide.
These regulatory interactions encompass:
Securing these regulatory permissions across jurisdictions lays the groundwork for unified D2D service delivery and scalable deployment.
Rather than operating in isolation, the joint venture adopts hybrid 5G spectrum frameworks, blending terrestrial mobile network spectrum with satellite-assigned bands. This shared or coordinated spectrum model allows for handoff between space and ground infrastructure, eliminating service dropouts even in the most isolated quadrants of Earth.
By aligning with national 5G spectrum roadmaps and contributing to global standard bodies, the venture ensures its architecture remains interoperable across devices and regional policies. The result: a continuously connected, regulation-compliant device experience, from city centers to offshore platforms and beyond.
Satellite systems operating in tandem with terrestrial 5G networks produce uninterrupted connectivity across remote, rural, and underserved regions. Rather than functioning in isolation, satellites and ground towers form a complementary architecture. High-throughput satellite (HTS) constellations deliver coverage in areas beyond cell tower reach, while terrestrial 5G ensures low-latency and high-capacity service in dense urban zones. Together, they fill the coverage gaps that have long fractured mobile network reliability on a global scale.
Adherence to 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards enables seamless interoperability between satellite and terrestrial components within 5G networks. With Release 17, 3GPP formally introduced direct-to-device (D2D) capabilities over non-terrestrial networks (NTN), allowing consumer-grade smartphones to communicate with low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites without hardware modifications. This standardization harmonizes spectrum usage, network signaling, and authentication processes, ensuring that users can roam between ground-based 5G and satellite coverage zones without service interruption.
For mobile network operators (MNOs), the integration of satellite-enabled D2D within 5G unlocks new revenue models and dramatically reduces the cost of last-mile connectivity. Instead of deploying expensive infrastructure in remote terrain, MNOs can leverage satellite links to extend their footprint instantly. Customers benefit from expanded service maps, consistent performance in off-grid areas, and faster recovery from terrestrial outages, particularly in disaster zones or during high-traffic events.
With full-spectrum 5G connectivity reaching every corner of the planet, high-bandwidth applications scale dramatically. Satellite-infused 5G architecture supports latency-sensitive services that demand always-on coverage, including autonomous vehicles, industrial IoT, drone logistics, and emergency response systems. Urban planners deploy real-time traffic and utility monitoring through city-wide sensor networks, while logistics companies synchronize autonomous fleets across rural expanses. In all these scenarios, hybrid 5G eliminates connectivity blind spots that traditionally hindered mission-critical operations.
Viasat and Space42 are not just pursuing better signal coverage. They are engineering a platform where data, devices, and decisions flow unimpeded—on ground, at sea, in the air, and beyond.
Viasat and Space42 have prioritized areas with the greatest coverage gaps and highest demand for resilient connectivity. The joint venture will first deploy Direct-to-Device (D2D) service across Africa, the Middle East, and key transportation corridors—both land and maritime. These regions share a common infrastructure challenge: unreliable terrestrial networks in remote or underserved zones. By using LEO technology for direct, ubiquitous access, the joint venture fills a longstanding vacuum.
Roadways, railways, shipping lanes, and air routes across these regions experience significant communication blackouts. The D2D service will maintain persistent connectivity across these routes, ensuring near real-time data availability and secure communications for logistics operators, governments, and emergency services.
Following the initial regional deployments, network coverage will expand globally. The architecture behind the venture is built for scalability—designed to meet growing connectivity demand in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, rural North America, and the polar regions. Expansion criteria include population density, strategic reach, and potential for partnership growth.
As the satellite constellation matures, Viasat and Space42 will layer additional capabilities onto the platform—offering higher throughput, lower latency, and improved reliability. These advancements will unlock even more commercial and government applications, consistently upgrading service to meet evolving global expectations.
To drive swift adoption, Viasat and Space42 are developing partnerships with mobile network operators worldwide. These collaborations will unlock diverse go-to-market strategies, including co-branded mobile plans and wholesale access to integrated satellite networks. Operators gain service differentiation and greater reach, while end users benefit from seamless handover between terrestrial and satellite coverage with minimal behavioral change.
By embedding satellite access into mainstream mobile ecosystems, this joint venture will not just augment connectivity—it will redefine the network experience entirely.
Direct-to-device (D2D) innovation has ignited a competitive wave among satellite operators, tech companies, and telecom integrators. With terrestrial connectivity facing scalability limits in remote and underserved regions, satellite-based D2D services offer a faster-onramp to continuous, ubiquitous coverage. Players like SpaceX, AST SpaceMobile, and Lynk Global have entered the race with diverse strategies—ranging from mega-constellations to cellular-compatible satellites.
SpaceX, through its Starlink division, has aggressively expanded its constellation to over 5,500 operational satellites as of early 2024, according to the Federal Communications Commission database. Though currently focused on fixed broadband services, the company is testing D2D capabilities in partnership with T-Mobile and intends to deliver text-based D2D messaging initially. Their infrastructure advantage is scale—but their pivot to cellular requires regulatory adaptation and investment in user-terminal miniaturization.
AST SpaceMobile pursues a contrasting architecture. Instead of leveraging existing LEO internet constellations, it is building a dedicated space-based cellular network. AST’s BlueWalker 3 prototype, launched in September 2022, successfully demonstrated voice and video calls via 4G from space using unmodified smartphones. The company plans to deploy five operational BlueBird satellites, each with a 64-square-meter array, by mid-2024. However, these large satellites carry higher launch and servicing costs, which could slow scalability.
Innovation at orbital scale requires more than technological sophistication. It demands capital-intensive infrastructure, global regulatory engagement, and telecom compatibility. Joint ventures create the alignment needed to address these factors cohesively. Instead of shouldering the full financial and technical risks alone, companies pool their core strengths—accelerating product development while sharing the burdens of spectrum acquisition, constellation deployment, and market access.
This reduction in cost per innovation cycle directly impacts time-to-market. AST SpaceMobile entered joint development agreements with global telcos such as Vodafone and Rakuten. Lynk Global, pursuing a quicker route to market, gained early regulatory approvals by collaborating with developing-world regulators and small carriers.
Within this competitive backdrop, the Viasat and Space42 D2D joint venture establishes a new axis of capability. Viasat brings proven experience in deploying high-capacity geostationary satellites and managing spectrum resources across multiple jurisdictions. Space42 contributes deep regional market access, satellite engineering know-how, and strong partnerships in the Middle East and Africa.
The partnership breaks away from the conventional LEO-megaconstellation strategy and instead focuses on a hybrid, interoperable constellation design—a blend of GEO coverage, emerging MEO elements, and LEO segments where latency and mobility demand it. This approach ensures flexibility in consumer-grade D2D rollout, especially in geographies underserved by ground networks but heavy in mobile device penetration.
Compared to competitors leaning into vertically integrated service models, the Viasat-Space42 venture positions itself as a facilitator of mass cellular integration, not just a D2D provider. Their model supports Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) by offering infrastructure-as-a-service solutions that plug directly into terrestrial telecom stacks. This creates immediate commercial viability for D2D without requiring smartphones to be replaced or upgraded.
Who will dictate the next decade of space-based telecom? The answer lies not in sheer satellite volume, but in partnerships that align market access, technological execution, and regulatory agility. The Viasat and Space42 joint venture doesn't just enter the market—it changes its structure.
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