Satellite company Lynk Global said that it has successfully demonstrated its patented direct-to-device technology in tests conducted in Türkiye with mobile network operator Turkcell.
Turkcell is Türkiye’s largest mobile operator and has more than 40 million subscribers. The two companies signed an agreement in February 2024 to collaborate on direct-to-device, or direct-to-cellular (D2C), connectivity for the Turkcell network, in order to both expand mobile coverage and provide additional network resilience.
The field tests for SMS, voice and mobile data were conducted with standard mobile phones near the city of Konya, Türkiye, in a rural area, according to Lynk. The tests used Turkcell terrestrial spectrum and Lynk’s satellites “to successfully provide seamless SMS exchanges and voice calls using commercial cell phones without requiring specialized devices or attachments,” Lynk said in a release.
Ramu Potarazu, CEO of Lynk, said that together with Turkcell, Lynk is “is committed to enhancing connectivity across rural areas in Türkiye, including in emergencies when terrestrial networks are temporarily inoperable.”
Lynk says that it has tested its technology successfully on all seven continents, and that it has 50 mobile network operator partners around the world as well as commercial contracts to deliver services to roughly 60 countries.
Lynk struck a deal with satellite provider SES earlier this year in which SES agreed to provide Series B funding for Lynk Global’s growing satellite constellation and offer integrated services to enhance network capabilities.
In September 2022, Lynk was given operating approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a total of 10 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites in order to provide connectivity to existing GSM and LTE devices outside the U.S., via partnerships with MNOs rather than as a direct-to-consumer service. The company has permission to operate in bands ranging from 617-960 MHz (space to Earth transmissions) and 663-915 MHz (Earth-to-space) with earth stations outside the United States, as well as tracking and control at 20 and 30 GHz and in the 2 GHz band.
The announcement by Lynk Global and Turkcell follows recent announcements by Verizon that it has begun device software upgrades to some Samsung Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 9 smartphones, to enable Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) D2C texting capability using NTN provider Skylo.
Charter and Comcast, which provide wireless service via the Spectrum Mobile and Xfinity Mobile mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) on the Verizon network, also have launched satellite-based emergency messaging via Skylo.
“The availability of satellite backup service provides Spectrum Mobile customers with a sense of security, knowing they can stay connected even in the most remote locations,” said Charter’s EVP of Product Danny Bowman. “We are delivering cutting-edge technology that continues to empower our customers with the confidence that their communication needs are always met, no matter where they are.”
