Satellite connectivity is having its breakout moment. A few years ago, non-terrestrial networks (NTN) meant emergency texts from a mountaintop. In October 2026, they're the subject of a joint venture between rival carriers, a joint European spectrum bid, a cross-border push for open satellite standards, and regulatory approval for both a constellation of 15,000 satellites designed to connect with mobile phones and Amazon's acquisition of Globalstar. Operators who once viewed satellite as a niche add-on are now organizing around it, and the pace of news shows no sign of slowing. Here are the stories that define the month so far, spanning D2D and NTN IoT.
US Carriers Team Up on Satellite
On October 2nd, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon formally established a joint venture to coordinate satellite Direct-to-Device (D2D) coverage across the U.S. The goal is to close rural dead zones by pooling spectrum and working with multiple satellite partners on a unified platform. Existing carrier satellite deals remain in place, so the venture sits alongside relationships such as AT&T and Verizon's work with AST SpaceMobile and T-Mobile's with Starlink. When three fierce competitors agree to cooperate, it signals how seriously they take the satellite opportunity. For satellite network operators (SNOs), a unified platform could mean one integration and one commercial path to subscribers across all three carriers, instead of three separate deals.
The FCC Clears SpaceX for 15,000 D2D Satellites
On October 6th, the FCC authorized SpaceX to deploy a new constellation of 15,000 satellites for D2D service, using very low Earth orbit (VLEO) shells between roughly 326 and 335 km. The order also waived the requirement that SpaceX lease spectrum from a terrestrial mobile operator. Deployment is expected to begin in 2027. It's one of the clearest signs yet of where D2D is heading. For the wider satellite market, the approval is a strong signal that D2D is moving from pilot to mainstream, expanding what mobile networks can offer in places terrestrial coverage does not reach.
Europe's Carriers Eye a Joint Satellite Bid
On October 19th, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, and Vodafone signed a letter of intent to explore a joint bid for Europe's satellite spectrum and D2D services. The group says the goal is to give customers coverage where networks fall short today, make public networks more resilient, safeguard critical communications, and help a European constellation take shape. They'd build the ground infrastructure and coordination functions in Europe while a yet-to-be-chosen satellite partner supplies the constellation. Allocation is expected next year, with service launching around 2029. The letter of intent is an early step, and it puts a European, operator-led D2D model on the table. For the satellite market, the open partner slot is a notable opportunity, since the chosen operator would work alongside four major European carriers to bring D2D service to market.
SpaceX's Earnings: Mobile Takes Center Stage
On October 20th's Q3 call, SpaceX put mobile at the center of its connectivity strategy. Starlink now has 13.6 million consumer subscribers and plans to ramp its V2 D2D satellites starting in 2027. Musk confirmed that Starship flight 15 will attempt to catch both the booster and the upper stage with the launch tower and called success "more likely than not." Full recovery would be a step toward the rapidly reusable platform SpaceX wants for launching broadband, D2D, and AI data center satellites, and would be "the first time that an orbital launch vehicle has been fully recovered." For the D2D market, the payoff is at the launchpad: cheaper, more frequent launches make it faster and less costly to fill out the large constellations that carriers are now counting on.
Iridium Reports, With IoT Leading the Way
Iridium's Q3 report pointed to IoT as its growth engine. Commercial IoT led subscriber growth, reaching about 2.2 million subscribers, up 9% from a year ago, within a total base of 2.7 million billable subscribers, a sign that NTN IoT is expanding alongside consumer D2D. For the satellite market, IoT growth shows use cases expanding beyond phones.
Amazon Clears the FCC for its Globalstar Deal
On October 28th, Canada's Terrestar Solutions, the UAE's Space42, and U.S.-based Viasat agreed to work together on a global, open standard for sharing satellite infrastructure and improving connectivity for mobile devices. The memorandum of understanding was signed in Ottawa, and Terrestar will collaborate with Equatys, the joint venture Viasat and Space42 launched last month. It's an example of smaller space firms banding together as Starlink pushes deeper into wireless services. For the satellite market, a shared standard points toward networks that can interoperate and pool infrastructure, which matters to the MNOs that connect to them.
Satellite and Mobile, Building Together
A year ago, D2D was a feature. Now it is a strategic priority shaping global carrier alliances, regulatory decisions, acquisitions, open standards, and launch plans, while satellite IoT grows alongside it. MNOs and satellite operators are moving together to extend coverage beyond the edge of the network. We will be watching closely, and we can't wait to see what November brings.
Why Syniverse
Syniverse is a key leader in satellite interoperability. With 35+ years of industry expertise and direct connections to MNOs around the world, we know how to bring satellite and mobile networks together. Our vast roaming suite connects operators on both sides, from the lab to the launchpad.
