The direct-to-device satellite market has a pecking order. SpaceX leads with thousands of satellites and partnerships with major mobile operators. Amazon is buying its way in through Globalstar. AST SpaceMobile has large satellites and backing from some of the world’s biggest carriers. Behind them sit smaller companies that were early to the idea but lacked either the spectrum, the capital or the scale to compete alone.
Two of those companies have now combined. In mid-August 2026, Lynk Global and Omnispace completed their merger and relaunched as Elveo Mobile, a direct-to-device operator headquartered in the Washington, DC area. The new company brings together Lynk’s agreements with mobile operators and Omnispace’s licensed satellite spectrum, with the European satellite operator SES as a significant shareholder.
Elveo is not yet a large network. It has only a handful of satellites in orbit and plans to begin commercial service in 2028. But the merger shows how the smaller players are responding to a market increasingly shaped by spectrum and scale, and IoT is one of the sectors it says it will target.
What Was Announced
The companies announced the completion of the merger on 17 August 2026, saying the deal had closed on 14 August. The details come from the joint announcement of Elveo Mobile’s launch and industry coverage.
Leadership And Backers
Elveo is led by Ramu Potarazu, who was chief executive of Lynk. Its investors include SES, Fortress, Stepstone, Columbia Capital, Telcom Ventures and Blazar Ventures. SES, one of the world’s largest satellite operators, became a major strategic shareholder when the deal closed.
Potarazu described the company’s ambition in broad terms: “We’re delivering a fundamental shift in communications by connecting ‘elevated intelligence’ directly from our network in space to mobile devices around the world.”
Operator Reach
Elveo says it has commercial agreements with more than 50 mobile network operators in more than 60 countries. Light Reading reported the figure as 56 operators, with about ten already testing the service. Computer Weekly reported that these relationships represent more than a billion mobile subscribers.
The company names consumer, automotive, IoT and government as its target markets.
Satellites And Timeline
According to Light Reading, Elveo currently has nine satellites in orbit: six low Earth orbit satellites from Lynk, and two low orbit and one medium Earth orbit satellite from Omnispace. It plans a constellation of 320 low orbit satellites, with deployment starting in the fourth quarter of 2027, completion by mid-2028 and commercial services from early 2028.
Two Companies, Two Missing Pieces
The logic of the merger is easiest to see by looking at what each company brought.
Lynk: The Operator Deals
Lynk was one of the first companies to show that an ordinary, unmodified mobile phone could exchange messages with a satellite. Its approach was to make satellites behave like cell towers in space, using mobile operators’ own spectrum so that existing phones could connect without new hardware. Its technology is designed to be backward compatible with older phones, which matters in markets where many people still use basic devices.
That model depended on partnerships. Lynk signed agreements with dozens of operators, many of them in markets where coverage gaps are large. What it lacked was dedicated spectrum of its own and the capital to build a large constellation.
Omnispace: The Spectrum
Omnispace took a different route. It holds 60 MHz of globally coordinated S-band mobile satellite spectrum, according to Via Satellite’s report on the original merger agreement, along with high-priority filings with the International Telecommunication Union. That spectrum is aligned with 3GPP standards for non-terrestrial networks, meaning standard devices designed for satellite-capable bands can use it.
Omnispace had spectrum and standards alignment but a smaller commercial network. Lynk had commercial relationships but relied on borrowing operators’ spectrum. Combined, the company can offer services over both.
SES: The Anchor
SES’s role gives the combined company something both lacked: the backing of an established operator. When the merger was first announced in October 2025, SES chief executive Adel Al-Saleh pointed to “enormous opportunities in D2D and IoT connectivity.” SES also operates satellites in medium Earth and geostationary orbits and is a lead partner in Europe’s IRIS² sovereign constellation, which gives Elveo a link to one of the largest players in European space.
Why Spectrum Changed The Market
The merger reflects a broader shift. Direct-to-device satellite connectivity has become a contest for spectrum.
Borrowed Spectrum Versus Dedicated Spectrum
Early direct-to-device services, including Lynk’s, used mobile operators’ terrestrial spectrum. That approach lets existing phones connect without changes, but it depends on each operator’s frequencies in each market and on regulators allowing satellites to use them. It also limits capacity, since the spectrum is shared with ground networks.
Dedicated mobile satellite service spectrum, like Omnispace’s S-band, is licensed specifically for satellite use. It can offer more capacity and more consistent service across countries, but devices need to support the band.
A Year Of Spectrum Deals
The past year has seen a rush for this kind of spectrum. SpaceX agreed to buy spectrum from EchoStar in deals worth close to $20 billion. Amazon agreed to acquire Globalstar. Rocket Lab agreed to buy Iridium. Viasat and Space42 are pooling their spectrum in a shared venture called Equatys.
Luke Pearce of CCS Insight told Light Reading in an earlier roundup that direct-to-device had “transformed MSS spectrum from a relatively niche asset into a scarce and strategically valuable foundation.” In that market, a smaller company without dedicated spectrum faces a difficult future. Omnispace’s 60 MHz is what makes Elveo a credible competitor.
What Elveo Plans To Offer
Elveo has described its first services as narrowband: text messaging, messaging apps and low-data applications such as mobile banking. Over time, it aims to add voice and data.
Processing In Orbit
A distinctive feature of Elveo’s plans is on-board processing. Potarazu said, according to Computer Weekly, that “the Elveo network will be able to process and adapt on orbit, enabling global interconnectivity, voice and data services, and compute power.” Satellites that process signals on board can route traffic more efficiently and reduce reliance on ground stations, although the approach adds complexity to satellite design.
Backward Compatibility
Elveo says its technology is compatible with devices from 2G through 5G, as well as IoT devices using 3GPP non-terrestrial standards. That breadth is important in markets where older phones and IoT devices remain in use for years.
Distribution Partners
Elveo has continued to add partners. Nelco, the satellite communications company in India’s Tata Group, has invested $20 million for a minority stake and will offer Elveo’s direct-to-device and IoT services to enterprises in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, working through telecom operators, according to Business Standard. Partnerships like this give Elveo routes into markets where it has no direct presence.
Where IoT Fits
Elveo lists IoT and automotive among its target sectors, and the combination of assets suits several IoT uses.
Standards-Based Devices
Because Omnispace’s spectrum is aligned with 3GPP non-terrestrial network standards, IoT devices built with modules that support the relevant satellite band could connect without proprietary satellite hardware. That is the same broad direction the rest of the industry is taking, as standard NB-IoT and LTE-M modules gain satellite support. We explained these low-power technologies in our guide to the networks built to whisper.
Through The Operator
Elveo’s model, like Lynk’s before it, works through mobile operators rather than selling directly. For IoT customers, that means satellite coverage could arrive as an extension of an existing operator contract, using the same SIM and management tools. That fits a pattern seen elsewhere, including Deutsche Telekom’s roaming agreement with Iridium for NB-IoT.
Emerging Markets
Many of Lynk’s operator relationships are in countries where terrestrial coverage is patchy and where agriculture, mining, energy and logistics operate far from mobile networks. Those are natural markets for low-data IoT: tracking vehicles and livestock, monitoring water pumps and generators, or reporting from remote infrastructure. We looked at how industrial sites approach connectivity in our explainer on industrial IoT and industrial connectivity.
Automotive
Automotive is also on Elveo’s list. Carmakers are testing satellite connectivity for emergency messaging and telematics beyond terrestrial coverage, and forecasts expect cars to become the largest segment of satellite IoT by the mid-2030s. We traced how connectivity reshaped vehicles in our story on how IoT rewired the car.
How It Compares
Elveo enters a crowded field with a mix of strengths and weaknesses.
Against The Giants
SpaceX has more than 11,000 satellites and major operator partners. Amazon has deep resources and is building a dedicated direct-to-device constellation from 2028. AST SpaceMobile is deploying large satellites with backing from AT&T, Verizon and Vodafone, a company we profiled in our story on the Texas startup betting on a cell tower in space. Against those players, Elveo’s nine satellites and plans for 320 are modest.
Against IoT Specialists
In IoT specifically, Elveo will also compete with companies focused on narrowband devices. Skylo, which provides standards-based satellite connectivity through partners’ geostationary satellites, reported more than 8 million activated devices in 2025, according to Fraunhofer IIS. Iridium is launching its standards-based NTN Direct service. Sateliot is building a 3GPP-based low orbit constellation for NB-IoT.
Elveo’s Case
Elveo’s pitch rests on three things: dedicated spectrum with global coordination, a large base of operator agreements and a commitment to working with operators rather than around them. That last point may matter. Some operators are cautious about satellite providers that could eventually sell directly to their customers. Light Reading reported that Elveo does not intend to compete with mobile operators, and a partner that sells through operators rather than around them may be easier for them to work with.
The Open Questions
The merger answers some questions and raises others.
Funding The Constellation
Building and launching 320 satellites is expensive. The companies have not disclosed how much capital the plan requires or how much has been raised. SES’s backing helps, but the scale of investment by larger rivals sets a high bar.
Execution And Timing
Deployment is due to begin in late 2027, with commercial service in early 2028. Satellite programmes frequently slip, and any delay would give competitors more time to lock in operator partnerships.
Turning Agreements Into Revenue
Commercial agreements with more than 50 operators are a strong starting point, but agreements do not always become large-scale services. How many operators launch commercial offerings, and how quickly, will show whether Elveo’s reach translates into revenue.
Device Support
For IoT customers, the practical question is which modules and devices support Elveo’s spectrum and when. Standards alignment helps, but products need to be certified and tested with the network.
What IoT Buyers Should Watch
For companies planning connected devices in areas with patchy coverage, Elveo is one of several satellite options likely to emerge over the next few years.
Useful questions include whether a current operator has an agreement with Elveo or another satellite provider, which bands a device’s cellular module supports, what data volumes and message frequencies an application needs outside coverage, and when services will be commercially available in the countries where devices operate.
As with every direct-to-device plan announced this year, it makes sense to plan around services that are available today, while designing products that can adopt new satellite networks as they arrive.
A Smaller Player Bulks Up
Elveo Mobile is the product of a market that has become too expensive for small companies to compete in alone. By combining Lynk’s operator relationships with Omnispace’s spectrum and SES’s backing, the new company has a clearer claim to a place in direct-to-device connectivity than either predecessor had on its own.
Whether it can build its constellation on time, and turn operator agreements into services, will be tested over the next two years. For the IoT industry, its arrival adds one more route for standard devices to reach satellites, and one more competitor in a market that is moving quickly.
