GSA finds 170 operator–satellite partnerships in 80 countries for 5G non-terrestrial networks and satellite connectivity – broadband most popular app but D2D growing fast
Today SES and K2 Space announced a strategic collaboration on SES’s future medium Earth orbit (MEO) network. SES has decades of experience in operating global, multi-orbit networks, including its O3b mPOWER MEO network. K2 Space brings “agile engineering” to the party.
“This collaboration is about rethinking how advanced space networks are developed,” said Karan Kunjur, CEO of K2 Space. “SES brings extensive operational expertise, and we bring the speed and flexibility of a technology startup. Together, we’re building the foundation for a network that is scalable and adaptable to a broad range of applications.”
Earlier this year, SES and K2 Space began to validate new network technologies for commercial and sovereign government applications. Development efforts will span Europe and the US. An on-orbit mission in the first quarter of 2026 will be their first step towards rolling out SES’s future MEO network.
This marks a shift in the traditional satellite industry approach, moving from legacy waterfall models to an iterative process that supports continuous innovation and responsiveness to market needs, according to the partners.
“Our future MEO network will evolve through agile innovation cycles,” said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. “By collaborating with K2 Space and other trusted innovative partners, we’re combining our solutions development experience and operational depth with NewSpace agility to develop a flexible, software-defined network that adapts to customer requirements.”
This initiative is a key component of SES’s future MEO strategy, which embraces modular growth, open architecture, software-defined capabilities, and commercial and government solutions. SES’s future MEO network will be designed to support multi-mission capabilities such as hosted payloads, space situational awareness, direct-to-device data relay and sovereign services. It will also enable communications for mobility applications and enterprise backhaul.
Replacing radio waves with lasers
SES also announced it will test new optical ground stations built by France-based Cailabs to send data from space using laser beams instead of radio waves. SES expects this to boost data transmission speeds, provide more secure links and alleviate congestion in crowded frequency bands.
According to SES, light beams transmit data at speeds of up to 10Gbps and are nearly impossible to intercept or jam, making optical transmission inherently more secure.
The biggest challenge with optical communication to space is the Earth’s atmosphere because laser beams wobble and break up as they pass through moving air. Cailabs solved this problem with Multi-Plane Light Conversion (MPLC), which works like adaptive glasses that constantly adjust to keep the laser signal clear and strong.
Radio waves have dominated space communications since the1960s, but optical systems are beginning to gaining momentum.
“Our Optical Ground Station technology, already field-proven with a variety of satellites and terminals, offers top performance in mitigating atmospheric turbulence and maintaining resilient communications, while delivering features that are essential for secure communications in today’s most demanding environments,” said Jean-François Morizur, CEO of Cailabs.
The new ground stations, called TILBA-OGS L10, will enable SES to begin testing space-to-ground optical links ahead of integrating them into commercial services. Each station can handle two-way transmissions at 10 Gbps and can be operated remotely, making them practical for widespread deployment.
“Optical communication can provide much higher bandwidth, better data security, and less risk of spectrum congestion,” said Carmel Ortiz, SVP of MEO Programs at SES. “The Cailabs Optical Ground Stations can play a central role in our global network of gateways with access to high-throughput infrastructure.”
The radio spectrum is becoming increasingly crowded as more satellites launch, leading to interference and limited bandwidth availability. Laser communication, which uses light rather than radio waves, opens up an entirely new spectrum and brings critical advantages such as low probability of intercept (LPI), low probability of detection (LPD), and low probability of exploitation (LPE).
Satellite-operator partnerships proliferate
Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) has published a report, Non-Terrestrial 5G Networks and Satellite Connectivity, that is says shows “satellite connectivity is moving from niche to mainstream”.
The report data identified 170 operator–satellite partnerships in 80 countries and territories. Overall, 34 of the partnerships across all sectors have launched commercial services in 25 markets.
Enterprise and rural broadband remains the dominant application, accounting for about half of all the partnerships. However, satellite-to-smartphone services (also known as direct-to-device or direct-to-cell) are expanding quickly, with 12 launches and 24 trials or licensed projects, driven by players like SpaceX (its Starlink constellation has the most partners signed up at 44), AST SpaceMobile and Lynk.
Regarding spectrum, Ka-band remains the most widely used frequency range, supporting feeder and service links, while L- and S-bands are increasingly important for direct-to-device applications.
Joe Barrett, President of Global mobile Suppliers Association, said “…strong growth [is] expected in broadband and direct-to-cell offerings, and slower but steady expansion in IoT applications.”
