There could be over 130 million active monthly direct-to-cell (D2C) users by 2031, according to a new report from Juniper Research, “Direct to Cell Market 2026 – 2031.” Juniper estimates there will be 17.4 million active D2C subscribers in 2026, so it is expecting a jump of well over 100 million subscribers in the next five years. Juniper Research released details of its new report on June 1.
Juniper says this substantial growth will be driven by new mobile network operators (MNOs) launching D2C services, as well as the entry of new satellite operators such as AST SpaceMobile. D2C is a technology that allows standard unmodified smartphones to connect directly to satellites.
However, it is not all positive news. It also found that although an increasing number of MNOs are launching D2C services, usage will remain below initial expectations. The report recommends that MNOs offer greater flexibility to their subscribers, and says that D2C service has significant value for subscribers living in or visiting remote areas.
Certainly, we are seeing a number of announcements in this area. For example, late week in the U.K., Virgin Media announced it was switching on its O2 Satellite service for iPhone users. Also recently in the U.S. the top three telcos announced plans to form a joint venture to collaborate on standards and spectrum-sharing for this type of service.
The new Juniper Research report contains in-depth forecasts for over 60 countries. The dataset contains over 2,000 market statistics within a five-year period.
“Consumer demand for D2C is currently concentrated to specific trips and travel, such as to national parks and nature reserves, rather than during everyday usage of mobile services,” commented Alex Webb, senior research analyst and author of the report.
