--- title: Iridium taps Syniverse to help MNOs integrate its D2D service - Developing Telecoms description: LEO satellite operator Iridium Communications announced on Thursday it has signed a partnership deal with Syniverse to support the rollout of Iridium’s planned direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service that will offer non-terrestrial network (NTN) services for terrestrial mobile operators. canonical_url: https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks/18555-iridium-taps-syniverse-to-help-mnos-integrate-its-d2d-service.html language: en-GB date: 2025-05-30T06:15:49Z notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks/18555-iridium-taps-syniverse-to-help-mnos-integrate-its-d2d-service.html. Schema.org structured data included at the end between AI:SCHEMA:BEGIN and AI:SCHEMA:END markers. markdown-tokens: 1793 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks/18555-iridium-taps-syniverse-to-help-mnos-integrate-its-d2d-service.html. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Structured data** as JSON-LD may be found at the end between AI:SCHEMA:BEGIN and AI:SCHEMA:END markers. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. LEO satellite operator Iridium Communications announced on Thursday it has signed a partnership deal with Syniverse to support the rollout of Iridium’s planned direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service that will offer non-terrestrial network (NTN) services for terrestrial mobile operators. The Iridium NTN Direct service – which will be based on 3GPP Release 19 – aims to provide global, standards-based D2D and NB-IoT messaging and SOS capabilities for consumer devices, automobiles and industrial applications in agriculture, transportation, logistics, energy and utilities. Under the partnership deal, Iridium NTN Direct will integrate with Syniverse's global platform – which supports seamless customer roaming, authentication and billing functions – to help mobile operators easily offer NTN services to customers. "Satellite networks are becoming a natural extension of the mobile ecosystem, and our role at Syniverse is to make that transition seamless," said Syniverse CEO Andrew Davies in a statement. "By integrating Iridium NTN Direct into the global mobile framework using standards-based, carrier-grade systems, Syniverse is simplifying deployment, ensuring consistency and security, and accelerating access to non-terrestrial connectivity.” Iridium is one of a growing number of LEO satellite operators looking to capitalise on demand for NTN connectivity. Iridium cites the GSMA's 2025 Industry Survey, which found that 85% of MNOs planning to pursue NTN services are seeking a LEO-based solution that extends their coverage globally. The D2D satellite race is generally divided into two camps based mainly on spectrum usage. LEO satellite players like Starlink, [Lynk Global](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks/18163-ses-provides-funding-for-lynk-as-part-of-new-d2d-partnership.html) and [AST Spacemobile](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks/18333-zimbabwe-s-netone-partners-with-ast-spacemobile-for-d2d-5g.html) use existing terrestrial mobile network spectrum, which has the advantage of working with any commercially available mobile device but comes with challenges such as local regulatory hurdles and interference mitigation. Meanwhile, satellite operators like Iridium, [Viasat](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks/18384-viasat-stages-second-d2d-demo-in-brazil-this-one-with-smartphones.html) and [Space42](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks/18450-space42-and-gatehouse-satcom-demo-upcoming-d2d-iot-service.html) plan to use mobile satellite services (MSS) bands, which are already allocated and regulated under an existing international framework, and present no interference problems for terrestrial networks. On the other hand, few consumer devices support MSS spectrum bands. Iridium first revealed plans for target the D2D sector [in January 2023](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks/14381-iridium-plans-direct-to-smartphone-satellite-service.html). In January 2024, Iridium pivoted from a proprietary strategy to a standards-based one with [Project Stardust](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks/16046-iridium-to-support-direct-3gpp-based-5g-iot-connections-by-2026.html), under which it planned to upgrade its constellation to support 5G IoT devices compliant with the 3GPP’s NTN standards under Release 17 starting in 2026. In September 2024, the 3GPP accepted Iridium's request to extend the functionality of NB-IoT for NTN into the Work Plan for 3GPP Release 19 as an official work item, clearing the way for Iridium's D2D service – now called Iridium NTN Direct – to be accessible via industry standard chipsets. “We're building the backbone of the global D2D movement, the right way and with the right partners as we prepare for on-air testing with MNOs and chipmakers in the coming months," said Iridium CEO Matt Desch in a statement. "The integration of Syniverse's system with the Iridium network will give MNOs a simple path to expand their footprint to the entire planet.” 3GPP Release 19 is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The first Iridium NTN Direct connected devices are planned to be available in 2026. ## More Articles you may be Interested in... ```json { "@context": "http:\/\/schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Article", "author": { "@id": "https:\/\/essential-reading.com\/#john_tanner_b807895845" }, "dateModified": "2025-05-30T06:15:49Z", "datePublished": "2025-05-30T06:15:49Z", "description": "LEO satellite operator Iridium Communications announced on Thursday it has signed a partnership deal with Syniverse to support the rollout of Iridium’s planned direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service that will offer non-terrestrial network (NTN) services for terrestrial mobile operators.", "headline": "Iridium taps Syniverse to help MNOs integrate its D2D service", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/developingtelecoms.com\/images\/stories\/NewsPix\/Iridium_Satellite_Network.jpg", "caption": "", "description": "Iridium taps Syniverse to help MNOs integrate its D2D service", "width": 600, "height": 450 } ], "inLanguage": "en-GB", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "url": "https:\/\/essential-reading.com\/telecom-technology\/satellite-communications-networks\/18555-iridium-taps-syniverse-to-help-mnos-integrate-its-d2d-service.html" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https:\/\/essential-reading.com\/#defaultPublisher" }, "url": "https:\/\/essential-reading.com\/telecom-technology\/satellite-communications-networks\/18555-iridium-taps-syniverse-to-help-mnos-integrate-its-d2d-service.html" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Tanner", "@id": "https:\/\/essential-reading.com\/#john_tanner_b807895845" }, { "@id": "https:\/\/essential-reading.com\/#defaultPublisher", "@type": "Organization", "url": "https:\/\/essential-reading.com\/", "logo": { "@id": "https:\/\/essential-reading.com\/#defaultLogo" }, "name": "Developing Telecoms" }, { "@id": "https:\/\/essential-reading.com\/#defaultLogo", "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/developingtelecoms.com\/images\/stories\/highResLogos\/dt-site-logo-440.png", "width": "440", "height": "122" } ] } ```