Key Data

5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN)

Last Updated - August 2026

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5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) Latest Key Data

Satellite-enabled mobile connectivity is moving from experiment to early commercial reality.

The number of operator partnerships, launched services and planned rollouts shows growing confidence in satellite-to-cellphone as a complement to terrestrial coverage, especially in hard-to-reach areas. More broadly, NTN is beginning to emerge as an important extension of the 5G ecosystem, not only for direct-to-device services but also for broadband and IoT connectivity models.

5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN)

Key Industry Data – as of 10th August 2026

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.

283 operator–satellite partnerships have been announced in over 100 countries and territories as of the end of June 2026, showcasing how satellite in now a global technology.

123 publicly announced satellite-to-cellphone operator partnerships, of which 23 had launched a service as of June 2026.

Starlink had extended its lead with 99 partnerships as of June 2026, up significantly from 59 in January 2026. It is followed by AST SpaceMobile, with 44 partnerships. Amazon Leo, Eutelsat Group and Lynk round out the top five with 30, 29 and 21 partnerships, respectively.

GSA has observed operators pursuing a multivendor approach for satellite-to-cellphone in different markets. GSA members can explore this in more depth through the interactive GAMBoD database.

GSA Members and GSA Associates can download a detailed annex on 5G NTN and satellite connectivity, including detail on operators’ publicly announced NTN plans, searchable by country or territory, deployment status, constellation and use case (for example, satellite-to-cellphone, IoT/M2M and community broadband).

Figures

Number of partnerships investing in satellite-to-cellphone technology, by status. Note: Data correct as of the end of June 2026.

Figure 1

Number of partnerships investing in satellite-to-cellphone technology,
by status. Note: Data correct as of the end of June 2026.

Countries and territories with satellite-to-cellphone partnerships, by status. Note: Data correct as of the end of June 2026.

Figure 2

Countries and territories with satellite-to-cellphone partnerships, by status. Note: Data correct as of the end of June 2026.

Number of partnerships by satellite network operator Notes: Includes all satellite network operator partnerships with more than one partnership. Data correct as of the end of June 2026.

Figure 3

Number of partnerships by satellite network operator
Notes: Includes all satellite network operator partnerships with more than one partnership. Note: Data correct as of the end of June 2026.

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This page covers the top-level data for this topic, explore our GAMBoD databases for further data.

The seven GAMBoD databases cover devices, spectrum assignments & pricing, public & private networks, chipsets and details on mobile operators globally. The databases are updated by our focused research team, monthly or quarterly, and summary and member industry reports are published based on this data.

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