End-to-End NB-IoT Connectivity via Low Earth Orbit Satellites Validates Mass Commercial Readiness of Cellular IoT for 3GPP-Compliant NTN Networks
OQ Technology, a leading European provider of IoT and device-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity services, holds 60 MHz of MSS S-band spectrum usage rights. It has certified Nordic Semiconductor’s low-power nRF9151 cellular IoT chipset for use on its 3GPP-compliant NTN network.
Previously, OQ Technology successfully achieved end-to-end NB-IoT connectivity and IoT data transmission from the nRF9151 to OQ’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. This confirmed that the module operates on OQ’s network without any hardware changes or software updates. As a result, OQ’s global IoT device ecosystem for satellite connectivity significantly expanded.
Earlier, OQ Technology announced it was the first European satellite operator to demonstrate sending D2D emergency broadcast messages directly from space to unmodified smartphones (iPhone, Samsung, Google Pixel). These two milestones together demonstrate OQ’s continued development in D2D and IoT capabilities. It significantly expands the company’s target market and highlights OQ’s leading position in advancing 3GPP-compliant satellite connectivity technology.
Unlike other NTN demonstrations that rely on third-party protocol stacks, OQ’s achievement is based on its self-developed end-to-end NTN NB-IoT technology stack. This includes its own 3GPP-compliant RAN and integrated 5G core network. This vertical integration across the NTN software stack, spectrum licensing, landing rights, and OQ satellite operations allows the company greater control over performance, reliability, and service optimization. As a result, it provides a better user experience and lower total cost of ownership for customers. This also supports efficient large-scale deployments.
The testing validated that Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF915 IoT module can connect directly to OQ’s satellites without hardware modifications. This demonstrates that low-power, standards-compliant, mass-market NTN IoT is ready for widespread commercial deployment.
Nordic Semiconductor is a global leader in low-power wireless solutions. Its efficient and reliable modules are widely recognized in the IoT industry. Nordic’s cellular IoT technology supports LTE-M/NB-IoT, featuring excellent energy efficiency, robust industrial performance, and global frequency band compatibility. This collaboration confirms that mainstream and widely used cellular IoT modules can operate seamlessly on 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN) satellite networks. Therefore, it drives the large-scale deployment of devices globally.
“For industries in remote areas, reliable connectivity beyond terrestrial networks is crucial,” said Kristian Sæther, Senior Product Director of Remote Communications at Nordic Semiconductor.
“This breakthrough demonstrates OQ Technology’s years of innovation in the NTN field,” said Omar Qaise, founder and CEO of OQ Technology. “From our low-earth orbit satellite NB-IoT waveform testing in 2019, to becoming the first European satellite operator to send D2D emergency broadcast messages to standard smartphones, and now achieving fully integrated NTN connectivity with Nordic IoT modules. OQ Technology continues to drive the development of 3GPP standardized satellite connectivity technology. Our vertical integration in NTN software stacks and satellite operations reduces costs and complexity for our customers. It supports the large-scale deployment of IoT devices in government, enterprise, and private industrial networks.”
OQ Technology’s vertically integrated NTN platform is designed for mobile operators, enterprises, and governments that require reliable connectivity beyond the reach of terrestrial networks. It delivers predictable performance through fine-grained control of the wireless link and optimized traffic and network management for demanding use cases. This enables:
1.Predictable Quality of Service (QoS) through fine-grained control of the wireless link;
2.Optimized traffic and network management tailored to government and industrial needs;
3.High resilience and security across devices, satellites, and cloud infrastructure;
4.Faster innovation cycles and new features without reliance on third-party vendors.
This allows businesses operating in remote or mission-critical areas such as energy, mining, logistics, agriculture, and environmental monitoring to achieve levels of reliability and performance not possible with partially outsourced NTN solutions. With over 75% of the world’s land and sea lacking cellular network coverage, OQ Technology’s global NTN constellation provides a continuous connectivity layer for industries operating beyond the reach of terrestrial networks.
OQ Technology and Nordic Semiconductor will continue to collaborate to support mobile network operators, developers, OEMs, governments, enterprises, and industrial operators in adopting this module for next-generation NTN-enabled IoT devices.