OQ Technology and KPN signed a roaming deal that adds OQ’s LEO satellites to KPN’s terrestrial and geostationary systems
In sum — what to know:
Strategic industry trend – This is KPN’s second satellite-IoT partnership in 2025, reflecting a broader operator push to work with satellite providers as IoT adoption scales.
IoT market growth – Global cellular IoT subscribers grew 14% in 2024 to 3.8 billion and are projected to reach 6.4 billion by 2029, though ARPU is expected to decline slightly.
OQ Technology, a satellite operator specializing in non-terrestrial networks (NTN), and Dutch telecommunications firm KPN have announced a roaming agreement to provide global 5G IoT connectivity across terrestrial and satellite networks.
Under the partnership, KPN customers will gain access to OQ’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network in addition to KPN’s existing terrestrial and geostationary systems. The companies say this will extend connectivity coverage to remote areas including polar regions, ocean routes, and regions obstructed from equatorial sky views.
KPN’s Commercial Roaming Manager, Jeffrey Rosink, described the arrangement as addressing connectivity “beyond traditional boundaries,” citing potential applications in maritime, logistics, energy, and agriculture sectors. Omar Qaise, CEO of OQ Technology, added that LEO satellites can deliver coverage in extreme latitudes, where other systems reportedly struggle.
The firms did not disclose specifics about deployment timelines, pricing, or the scale of initial rollout. The announcement frames this as a step toward enabling “truly global” 5G IoT access, especially in regions where terrestrial networks are unavailable or limited.
This is KPN’s second satellite-IoT partnership this year. In April, the operator teamed with Skylo Technologies to provide mission-critical connectivity, a deal billed as setting a benchmark for satellite-based IoT offerings.
The partnerships reflect a broader trend of mobile operators working with satellite providers to extend coverage. According to the 10th edition of The Global M2M/IoT Communications Market, global cellular IoT subscribers rose 14% in 2024 to 3.8 billion, representing about 30% of all mobile users. Subscriber numbers are forecast to reach 6.4 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual rate of 11%.
Over the same period, IoT connectivity revenues are projected to climb from €14.2 billion ($15.4 billion) in 2024 to €22.4 billion ($24.3 billion) in 2029, even as average monthly revenue per user dips slightly from €0.33 ($0.36) to €0.30 ($0.33). North America and Western Europe ranked as the second and third largest IoT markets at the end of 2024, with 294 million and 279 million connections respectively, driven largely by commercial adoption. Connected vehicles remain a dominant trend, with more than 90% of new cars sold in those regions featuring embedded cellular connectivity.
You can check out more of RCR Wireless News’ coverage of the rapid expansion of NTN services here.
