Top 7 D2C Satellite Service Providers to Watch in 2027

Compare how Starlink, Skylo Technologies, and other D2C satellite providers are approaching commercial scale.

Direct-to-Cellular (D2C) satellite services were once primarily associated with basic emergency messaging. Today, service providers compete to bring voice, data, and broader cellular connectivity directly to standard devices. ABI Research completed its competitive ranking of the top D2C satellite service providers to deliver an unbiased market overview.

Starlink emerged as the Overall Market Leader, followed by Skylo Technologies. The rest of the ranking analyzed Elveo Mobile, Globalstar, Iridium, BeiDou-Tiantong, and AST SpaceMobile.

This assessment looks at where each D2C satellite service provider excels across innovation and implementation, as well as any areas where they could improve.

*The following list is in alphabetical order. It does not reflect the chronology of ABI Research’s rankings.

Table 1: Top D2C Satellite Service Providers

(Source: ABI Research)

AST SpaceMobile

Headquarters: Midland, Texas

Founded: 2017

Innovation

• Broadband-Like Service Is the Big Bet: AST SpaceMobile is targeting voice, video, Internet browsing, applications, and Short Message Service (SMS) at 4G and 5G speeds on standard smartphones.
• BlueBird Satellites Push for Much Higher Capacity: Next-generation satellites feature approximately 2,400 Square Feet (ft²) phased-array antennas, nearly 200 Megabits per Second (Mbps) peak data speeds, and steerable beams. The proprietary AST5000 Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) supports 10 Gigahertz (GHz) of processing bandwidth.
• Its Spectrum and Standards Strategies Are Strong: AST combines MNO spectrum with licensed L- and S-band Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) spectrum and aligns its architecture with 3GPP NTN specifications.
• Execution Tempers the Technology Story: AST is middle of the pack on the innovation side of the evaluation. Its technology and D2C services may outshine several other operators, but it has yet to successfully operationalize the network.

Implementation

• The Constellation Is Still Being Built: AST had 13 satellites in orbit as of August 7, 2026, against a target of 45 to 60 by year-end. It does not yet offer live commercial service.
• MNO Relationships Provide Substantial Reach: Nearly 60 MNO partnerships provide potential access to almost 3 billion mobile subscribers. AST also has more than US$1.2 billion in contracted revenue commitments.

BeiDou-Tiantong

Headquarters: Beijing, China

Founded: 2002 (China Telecom—operates Tiantong), 2024 (China Space Time Information—operates BeiDou)

Innovation

• Two-Way Voice Gives Tiantong an Edge: Alongside SOS and SMS, Tiantong-1 already supports satellite voice calling. This is something that is on the product roadmap for most of China Telecom’s competitors.
• China's Handset Ecosystem Has Embraced Satellite Connectivity: Huawei pioneered two-way satellite calling with the Mate 60 Pro. HONOR, Xiaomi, OPPO, and vivo also support Tiantong or BeiDou services, solidifying a significant partnership network.
• Its Architecture Favors Domestic Integration: Tiantong connects directly with China's three major MNOs: China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom. Additionally, BeiDou adds dedicated satellite messaging capabilities across GEO and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites.

Implementation

• Domestic Adoption Is Already Substantial: China Telecom reported more than 8.2 million D2C users in 2025 (unconfirmed publicly) thanks to an enormous smartphone installed base.
• Satellite Services Revenue Growth Took a Big Jump: China Telecom’s 2025 interim report highlights that the satellite business lines witnessed substantial 20.5% Year-over-Year (YoY) revenue growth. Monetization primarily comes from tiered subscription add-ons, monthly base fees, and usage-based per-minute voice toll pricing.
• Regional Expansion Has Started: Tiantong-1 is commercially available across mainland China and parts of Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa. Recently, D2C roaming launched in Hong Kong, Macau, and Laos.

Elveo Mobile

Headquarters: Washington, D.C.

Founded: 2026 (after Lynk Global and Omnispace merger)

Innovation

• The Lynk-Omnispace Merger Gives Elveo Two Spectrum Plays: Elveo combines agreements with 50+ mobile network partners with 60 Megahertz (MHz) of globally coordinated S-band MSS spectrum. This merger reduces the company’s reliance on any single spectrum approach.
• One Architecture Spans Legacy Cellular and 5G NTN: Software-defined, multi-waveform payloads can support 2G, 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G NTN, and IoT across MSS and partner MNO spectrum.
• Innovation Leader with Execution Still to Prove: Elveo ranks 1^st for Innovation, driven by its spectrum strategy and bandwidth availability. Its roadmap carries more risk because substantial constellation expansion remains ahead and it lacks in-house launch capabilities.

Implementation

• Commercial Agreements Outpace the Constellation: Elveo has partnerships with 55+ MNOs across more than 60 countries. Despite this extensive ecosystem network, roughly 8 LEO and 1 MEO satellites currently support its initial footprint. Continuous global real-time coverage is not yet available.
• Getting Hundreds of Satellites Into Orbit Is the Next Test: The roadmap calls for 640 LEO satellites to support continuous voice, messaging, and data.
• Wholesale Distribution Removes the Need to Chase Consumers Directly: Elveo integrates into MNO networks, enabling subscribers (consumer, enterprise, automotive, IoT, government/defense) to roam onto satellite coverage outside terrestrial range.

Globalstar

Headquarters: Covington, Louisiana

Founded: 1991

Innovation

• Owned Spectrum Gives It a Firm Foundation: Globalstar holds licensed MSS spectrum alongside the terrestrial Band n53, which has been standardized by 3GPP for 5G.
• The Apple Relationship Comes with a Trade-off: Native integration gives Globalstar access to Apple's 2.5 billion+ customer base. This comes with a caveat: its proprietary framework creates vendor lock-in and limits its reach across the broader device ecosystem.

Implementation

• Apple Puts Globalstar Directly Into Consumers' Hands: Integration with iPhone 14 and later supports Emergency SOS, roadside assistance, location sharing, and satellite messaging.
• Its Infrastructure Is Established but Smaller than the Leaders: Globalstar has 24 LEO satellites, with plans to expand to 32 by the end of 2026. This is in tandem with 28 ground stations and 90 additional Earth station antennas.
• The Business Already Generates Meaningful Revenue: Globalstar reported US$273 million in 2025 revenue across D2C, IoT, and satellite messaging services.

Iridium

Headquarters: McLean, Virginia

Founded: 2001

Innovation

• Global Spectrum Ownership Eases Expansion: Iridium owns approximately 10.5 MHz of harmonized L-band MSS spectrum and is aligning NTN Direct with 3GPP standards.
• Existing Satellites Provide the Foundation: Its 66 software-defined LEO satellites will support Emergency SOS, Narrowband (NB) data, and messaging, with voice planned later.
• Commercial Launch Is Approaching: Live NB-IoT and two-way messaging tests have been completed ahead of a planned late-2026 launch.

Implementation

• Global Infrastructure Is Already Operational: Iridium's 66-satellite constellation provides pole-to-pole coverage. Moreover, the implementation of satellite cross-links minimizes dependence on ground stations.
• Partnerships Support the D2C Rollout: Semiconductor companies Mlink Technology and GCT Semiconductor are helping embed NTN Direct into low-power modules. Meanwhile, telco infrastructure provider Syniverse will support NB-IoT messaging and SOS across consumer and industrial applications.
• An Established Business Provides a Head Start: Iridium generated US$871.7 million in 2025 revenue, including US$634 million from services. Key verticals include maritime, government, Industrial IoT (IIoT), aviation, oil & gas, mining, etc.

Skylo Technologies

Headquarters: Mountain View, California

Founded: 2017

Innovation

• Skylo Takes an Asset-Light Approach: Rather than operating its own constellation, Skylo provides the connectivity layer between satellite operators, MNOs, device manufacturers, and chipset vendors. This is achieved through a cloud-native, software-defined architecture.
• Standards Alignment Is a Major Strength: Commercial services use 3GPP Release 17 NB-NTN. Skylo has also validated 5G New Radio NTN (NR-NTN) and is working toward commercial deployment.

Implementation

• Commercial Reach Leads the Pack: Skylo has active services across 41 countries on 5 continents, covering more than 70 million square kilometers.
• Its Ecosystem Extends Beyond MNOs: Skylo has roughly 40 global partners with not just traditional MNOs, but also device OEMs, chipset suppliers, and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs).
• Adoption Has Scaled Quickly: ABI Research estimates that Skylo’s D2C connection base has nearly doubled from 10.8 million in 2025 to roughly 20 million by July 2026.

Starlink

Headquarters: Redmond, Washington

Founded: 2015

Innovation

• Infrastructure Is the Differentiator: SpaceX’s vertically integrated supply chain means it controls launch, satellite manufacturing, network operations, and ground infrastructure.
• Major Capacity Upgrades Are Coming: V3 satellites are expected to deliver 10X greater downlink and 22X greater uplink capacity than V2. Starlink also uses Optical Inter-Satellite Links (OISLs) and onboard processing.
• Its Spectrum Strategy Offers Flexibility: Starlink combines terrestrial spectrum from 30+ MNO partners with roughly 65 MHz of MSS spectrum acquired through EchoStar. This latter spectrum is expected to be commercially available with its next-gen D2C constellation.

Implementation

• Scale Is Starlink's Biggest Advantage: Starlink Mobile covers 32 countries across 6 continents, providing nearly ubiquitous cellular coverage.
• Deployment Is Moving Quickly: Approximately 650 D2C satellites are currently in orbit, with roughly 1,200 more planned within 6 months starting in mid-2027, demonstrating rapid scalability.
• Commercial Traction Is Strong: ABI Research estimates 8.8 million billable D2C connections, alongside US$276 million in Starlink Mobile connection service revenue in 2025.
• Market Leader: Starlink ranks 1^st for Implementation, leading through infrastructure scale, revenue generation, vertical integration, and in-house launch capabilities.

Where Is the D2C Market Headed?

ABI Research projects smartphones to facilitate NTN connectivity to roughly 425 million devices by 2035, a 16X increase from today. Vehicles, tablets, wearables, and other devices will add to that opportunity. D2C services will be a primary growth engine for operators looking to monetize this demand.

Emergency services brought D2C into the commercial spotlight, but the market is moving toward something much broader. Most providers covered in this ranking already support or plan to support voice, two-way messaging, and data services. The line between D2C and traditional Terrestrial Network (TN) connectivity is beginning to blur.

Technology alone will not determine who leads this market. Several providers have ambitious architectures and service roadmaps, yet lack meaningful live deployments. The next competitive test is implementation: getting satellites into orbit, securing spectrum and partnerships, and turning technical capabilities into commercially available services. Our next edition may look very different. If the laggards cannot successfully scale their D2C services, there is a chance that emerging players like Amazon Leo and Viasat-Space42’s Equatys will fill the void.

Get the Full Ranking: Download ABI Research's D2C Satellite Service Providers competitive ranking to compare the leading companies in the market.