Iridium Communications, a leading provider of global voice, data, and PNT satellite services, announced a new partnership with Deutsche Telekom (DTAG) intended to deliver global connectivity to its customers through the Iridium NTN DirectSM service. Deutsche Telekom will gain roaming access to Iridium's forthcoming 3GPP standards-based 5G service, providing NB-IoT direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity that will keep customers, and their assets, connected from pole to pole. The two companies will be collaborating to integrate Iridium NTN Direct with Deutsche Telekom's terrestrial global IoT network.

Deutsche Telekom is among the first mobile network operators to begin integrating Iridium NTN Direct with terrestrial infrastructure, positioning it at the forefront of standards-based IoT innovation in areas beyond the reach of traditional mobile networks and competing satellite networks.

"Iridium NTN Direct is designed to complement terrestrial networks like Deutsche Telekom and provide seamless global coverage, extending the reach of their own infrastructure," said Matt Desch, CEO, Iridium. "This partnership underscores the power of creating a straightforward, scalable solution that builds on existing technology to enable global service expansion."

"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, Deutsche Telekom. "This convergence is now possible through affordable, 3GPP-standardized 5G devices that function across both terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks."

Planned for commercial launch in 2026, the service will allow Deutsche Telekom's IoT customers to roam onto the Iridium network to support use cases such as messaging, tracking, and status updates for IoT, automotive, and industrial devices, with applications spanning international cargo logistics, remote utility monitoring, smart agriculture, and emergency response.

The Iridium constellation is the only network delivering truly global coverage using L-band spectrum, providing reliable connectivity through both routine and extreme weather events, like hurricanes and blizzards. Its LEO orbit provides superior coverage, look angles and lower latency compared to geostationary systems. Upon successful integration and testing, Iridium and Deutsche Telekom plan to execute a roaming agreement to support full commercial service launch.

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