Satellite operator Sateliot, which says it is the first company to operate a constellation of 5G NB-IoT satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), has announced a boost to its satellite deployment plans, along with preparations to launch its commercial service in Brazil.
Sateliot says it is entrusting the manufacture of its next five satellites to the Spanish firm Alén Space. These satellites, which will become part of its LEO network, support its roadmap to deploy a constellation of over 100 satellites, fully developed in Barcelona and validated by standards group 3GPP, with the goal of delivering secure and interoperable global coverage.
The new satellites include significant enhancements compared to the models already in orbit, enabling improved performance and greater payload capacity.
This architecture, says Sateliot, is capable of supporting advanced communication services in civilian contexts, critical security operations, territorial protection, or emergency response scenarios.
Sateliot says it already holds contracted commitments worth approximately EUR270 million (US$318 million) with over 400 clients across 50 countries.
It is also preparing to launch its commercial service in Brazil after recently a spectrum licence granted by regulator Anatel in late June. Sateliot, together with the Brazilian Association of the Internet of Things (ABINC) plans to promote a hybrid connectivity model to help close the digital gap in sectors such as agriculture, mining, and logistics.
Sateliot has been engaged in Brazil for nearly two years as a member of ABINC, one of the country’s leading entities in the IoT ecosystem. This affiliation has enabled Sateliot to explore technical and commercial collaboration with companies, institutions, and local operators, with which it is already working and holding advanced discussions.
Current partnerships with major mobile operators allow end users to continue using standard, unmodified cellular IoT devices that connect seamlessly to both terrestrial networks and Sateliot’s non-terrestrial network (NTN) – while retaining their existing SIM cards from local operators.
This is made possible through standard roaming agreements, which enable Sateliot’s satellite constellation to integrate directly with the operators’ networks, effectively extending cellular IoT coverage across Brazil, including remote areas where traditional infrastructure is unavailable.
