NTN & Satellite Connectivity – August 2026
This page is for members to download the annex that accompanies the August 2026 report on NTN and Satellite Connectivity.
The August 2026 report highlights the accelerating integration of non-terrestrial networks (NTN) and satellite connectivity into the world of cellular communication. There is growing interest in satellite communication, with 283 publicly announced operator–satellite partnerships in over 100 countries and territories as of the end of June 2026, showcasing how satellite in now a global technology.
Satellite-to-cellphone services are grabbing the headlines. So far, 23 partnerships have launched services. Though the last three months have only seen comparatively small activity, there have still been a couple of launches of new operator services in the Philippines and Japan. A further 27 partnerships are trialling the technology and 73 are in planning stage, indicating that there will be further launches in 2026 and beyond.
Community and enterprise broadband accounts for 38% of all partnerships announced between satellite network operators and telecom operators. A primary reason for these partnerships is for satellite network companies to secure new sales channels alongside their existing direct to customer approaches. In contrast, satellite IoT is beginning to gain greater traction, although industries with long replacement cycles are hurting its growth, as well as the slow adoption of compatible IoT devices. Satellite backhaul partnership announcements have grown, as operators look to build both resilient networks and but also increase the areas in which terrestrial towers can be deployed where previously rolling out fibre would be too costly or difficult to do.
The United States has the most satellite vendors, with 15 including companies such as SpaceX Starlink, Amazon Leo and Iridium. China has the second-highest number of constellations with eight. A growing number of countries have a satellite constellation either planned or launched, as recorded in the GSA database, including Taiwan, France and Canada.
There is a limited but growing number of devices that have satellite compatibility with 3GPP narrowband NTN standards, and other devices are modified to work with certain constellations. Furthermore, some satellite-to-cellphone constellations rely on IMT spectrum which, theoretically, would work with any 4G or 5G smartphone.
WeChat: GSA Express
© GSA 2026
NTN & Satellite Connectivity – August 2026
