Rendering of Iridium’s constellation. Photo: Iridium

Iridium Communications and Deutsche Telekom are teaming up to deliver global Iridium NTN Direct connectivity service under the terms of a partnership agreement the companies announced September 16.

The partnership will see Deutsche Telekom gain roaming access to Iridium’s upcoming 3GPP standards-based 5G service, which includes NB-IoT direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity from pole to pole. The two companies will then collaborate to integrate Iridium NTN Direct with Deutsche Telekom’s terrestrial global IoT network. The partners confirmed that the new services will launch in commercial markets sometime in 2026.

Iridium and Deutsche Telekom said they plan to execute a roaming agreement to support full commercial service launch after they complete integration and testing.

“We look forward to integrating Iridium as our next non-terrestrial roaming partner for IoT connectivity. By providing our customers with access to Iridium’s extensive LEO satellite network, they will benefit from broadened global NB-IoT coverage to reliably connect sensors, machines and vehicles,” said Jens Olejak, head of Satellite IoT at Deutsche Telekom. “This convergence is now possible through affordable, 3GPP-standardized 5G devices that function across both terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks.”

Iridium’s constellation utilizes L-band spectrum from Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Use cases for the new Iridium/Deutsche Telekom service will include: messaging, tracking, and status updates for IoT, automotive, and industrial devices; international cargo logistics; remote utility monitoring; smart agriculture; and emergency response among others.