Over the course of 2023, 2024 and 2025 there have been an increasing number of announcements of the availability of Direct-to-Cellular (D2C) services delivered via satellites to smart phones, as well as more broadly Direct-to-Device (D2D) for IoT. D2C deliver a variable set of services, predominantly emergency SMS. The provision of these services involves collaboration between satellite providers and mobile network operators (MNOs), handset makers, or chipset vendors, all of which have an interest in providing an additional feature in their offerings.
This report provides a summary of the agreements that have been made between satellite providers and the various MNOs, handset makers and chipset vendors.
Transforma Insights generally does not focus on the smartphone space. However, the use of satellite connectivity to complement terrestrial networks is a key theme in IoT. Historically, IoT connectivity has piggybacked on networks deployed to support smartphones. Therefore, the implication of D2C deployments will also likely be felt in the IoT world and the wider D2D landscape. Furthermore, certain dynamics of the market will also be similar, such as the impact of geopolitics, meaning that the market landscape for D2D will likely evolve in parallel with that of IoT.
