Direct-to-Device (D2D) is no longer limited to emergency solutions and is emerging as a scalable communications option for smartphones, IoT devices and industrial applications. Against this backdrop, D2D players are seeking to strengthen their positions through acquisitions, strategic partnerships and access to spectrum (see table).

SpaceX is moving forward with Starlink Mobile, a network that currently has 650 first-generation satellites, while planning a second fleet. AST SpaceMobile is also accelerating deployment of its BlueBird constellation, while Lynk is awaiting completion of its merger with Omnispace after securing investment and strategic backing from SES. Another key move was Amazon’s acquisition of Globalstar, announced in April 2026, for more than US$11 billion.

The acquisition of Globalstar is one of the most significant strategic moves of 2026. In addition to acquiring an operational constellation, Amazon gains global MSS spectrum licenses, ground infrastructure and the ability to develop its own satellite-to-mobile connectivity network integrated with Amazon LEO. The deal also includes the continued provision of Globalstar’s satellite services for iPhone and Apple Watch, making Amazon a major new player in the satellite mobile connectivity ecosystem.

Spectrum is one of the market’s main competitive factors. Beyond satellite deployment, operators and manufacturers are seeking to secure access to harmonized bands for satellite mobile services compatible with 3GPP standards.

In Latin America, Chilean and Peruvian mobile operator Entel is the pioneer in D2D, in partnership with Starlink using first-generation satellites. Liberty Latin America has also announced trials and upcoming launches in Jamaica, Panama and Costa Rica. Meanwhile, AST SpaceMobile has signed strategic agreements in the region with Telefónica, América Móvil and Millicom.

Operators in the region are moving toward integration models within their existing mobile offerings, using satellite connectivity as a coverage extension in remote areas rather than as a standalone service. This strategy points to a shift in how D2D will be monetized, with the service increasingly incorporated as an additional capability within traditional mobile plans.

LEO and MEO expansion. D2D growth is going hand in hand with expansion in low and medium Earth orbits. With Starlink as the undisputed LEO leader, reaching 10.3 million active satellite broadband subscribers worldwide in March 2026, the market is preparing for the launch of commercial Amazon LEO services, which already has about 239 satellites in orbit as part of a 3,200-satellite constellation.

Competition is no longer limited to providing satellite Internet access but is focused on integrating residential, enterprise, mobility, cloud and direct-to-mobile connectivity services within a single space-based infrastructure.

Telefónica’s presentation at Satellite Map Day 2026 highlighted this trend. The operator has 10,000 LEO connections in Latin America, according to Henry Merino, Telefónica’s global account manager, and its customer offering is not based on selling capacity or a particular orbit, but on integrations with specific SLAs tailored to each need (see table).

As Merino described it, customer demand is focused on availability, operational continuity and security. “Above all, they want the ability to digitize their operations anywhere, at any coordinates, with their applications running without interruption, at the appropriate latency and at a cost agreed between the parties. This means separating technological complexity from commercial reality, which is why Telefónica is betting on integrating orbits rather than competing between them.”

In medium Earth orbit, SES continues to expand O3b mPOWER, which has 10 operational satellites and plans to add more during 2026. At the same time, it is developing meoSphere, a future constellation of 28 satellites that is expected to begin operations by the end of the decade.

Satellite mergers and acquisitions. July 2025 - June 2026

July 2025: SES completes the acquisition of Intelsat. Creates the world’s largest GEO/MEO operator.

March 2025: SES invests in Lynk Global. Marks SES’ entry into the Direct-to-Device market.

2025-2026: Lynk + Omnispace. Creates a global NTN and D2D player with its own spectrum.

April 2026: Amazon acquires Globalstar. Seeks to strengthen Amazon LEO against Starlink.

2026: Viasat + Space42 create Equatys. Marks the entry of a new 3GPP-based D2D competitor.

June 2026: Rocket Lab announces the acquisition of Iridium. Integrates launches, satellite manufacturing and a global LEO network.

GEO transactions. SES’ acquisition of Intelsat altered the competitive balance in the segment and increased concentration in a market that has been undergoing mergers and acquisitions for years (see table). As a result of the integration, SES now controls more than 50 satellites providing coverage over Latin America, making it the dominant player in a regional fleet totaling 71 satellites with C- and Ku-band capacity, in addition to 24 satellites in Ka-band.

The SES-Intelsat deal also reflects a strategic shift among traditional satellite operators. The focus is no longer exclusively on increasing geostationary capacity, but on building multi-orbit platforms under a single commercial offering. The integration of the two companies complements the expansion of O3b mPOWER and the future development of meoSphere, as the industry accelerates the transition toward more flexible digital satellites and postpones investment in new conventional GEO fleets.

The traditional geostationary business is also facing cancellations of previously announced satellite projects — Intelsat 41 and 42, for example, initially scheduled for 2028 — and declining revenue compared with LEO.