OQ Technology demonstrates an emergency alert sent directly to mobile phones via satellite. Photo: OQ Technology

OQ Technology successfully sent an emergency broadcast message directly to phones through its satellite constellation in a recent demonstration. 

The demonstration took place in Luxembourg, sending an emergency broadcast message to standard smartphones without any hardware or software modifications. OQ Technology called it a first of its kind demonstration for Europe. 

“This achievement marks a turning point for Europe’s sovereign space capabilities,” said Omar Qaise, Founder and CEO of OQ Technology. “OQ is building the foundation for a resilient and secure European direct-to-device service that connects people everywhere. With this milestone, we’ve proven that emergency broadcast messages can reach ordinary smartphones from space — anytime and anywhere.”

OQ Technology has 10 satellites in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) and holds 60 MHz of mobile satellite service (MSS) S-band spectrum. The company is focused on a secure and sovereign European direct-to-device network and has backing from the Luxembourg Space Agency, European Space Agency, and the government of Luxembourg. 

The company said it now plans to demonstrate direct-to-mobile voice services in the coming year.