The test linked an ordinary Android smartphone with a satellite messaging device, allowing SMS and SOS communications to travel in both directions through Space42’s next-generation mobile communications satellite. The companies said the connection required no additional hardware on the smartphone.
Commercial introduction of the messaging services is targeted for the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and agreements with mobile network operators. The development could extend basic communications to deserts, mountains, offshore areas and other locations beyond the reach of conventional mobile towers.
Skylo’s non-terrestrial network platform is compliant with standards developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, or 3GPP, which establishes technical specifications used across global mobile networks. This standards-based approach is designed to allow compatible phones and connected devices to move between terrestrial and satellite coverage without relying on proprietary terminals.
The system also enables users to retain their existing mobile operator identity. Messages can pass through the operator’s SIM and authentication framework without requiring changes to its core network infrastructure. That structure is intended to preserve the relationship between telecom companies and their subscribers while adding satellite coverage as an extension of existing services.
Ali Al Hashmi, chief executive of Space Services at Space42, said the test showed that Thuraya-4 could deliver resilient, carrier-grade messaging directly to devices. He said the capability was aimed at consumers as well as governments, enterprises and mobile operators seeking communications in underserved or isolated areas.
Skylo chief executive and co-founder Parth Trivedi said the trial demonstrated that satellite messaging could function on phones already used by subscribers and through existing operator networks. The companies had earlier completed a two-way, real-time voice call over Thuraya-4 without modifying the SIM card or altering operator infrastructure.
The latest test builds on a partnership announced in May to integrate Skylo’s platform with Thuraya-4. The companies are seeking approvals across target markets, with deployment expected to proceed in stages as regulators and mobile operators clear the service.
Space42 and Skylo are also working on location sharing, application data, internet-of-things transmission and automotive connectivity using the same network layer. Those functions could support vehicle tracking, industrial monitoring, emergency response and remote infrastructure management alongside consumer messaging.
Direct-to-device satellite technology has emerged as a major area of competition within the telecom and space sectors. Satellite operators, handset manufacturers and mobile carriers are seeking to eliminate coverage gaps by enabling phones to connect directly with spacecraft when ground networks are unavailable.
Early commercial services have largely focused on emergency alerts and limited text messaging because these applications require less bandwidth than voice calls or broadband internet. Operators are gradually expanding towards data services as satellite capacity, antenna technology and handset chipsets improve.
Thuraya-4 entered global commercial service in November 2025 after being launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in January that year. The geostationary satellite provides L-band connectivity across more than 100 countries in Europe, Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East.
Built on Airbus’s Eurostar Neo platform, Thuraya-4 carries a 12-metre reflector antenna and uses a software-defined architecture that allows coverage and capacity to be adjusted from orbit. Its system can deliver speeds exceeding one megabit per second and supports satellite communications across land, maritime and aviation markets.
The satellite underpins Space42’s next generation of mobile communications products and carries a 15-year government contract valued at $708 million. It was developed to replace ageing capacity while supporting new direct-to-device and internet-of-things applications.
Space42 was created in 2024 through the merger of satellite operator Yahsat and geospatial intelligence company Bayanat. Its main shareholders include G42, Mubadala and International Holding Company. The Abu Dhabi-listed group combines satellite communications, artificial intelligence and geospatial data services through its Space Services and Smart Solutions businesses.
Skylo, headquartered in Mountain View, California, operates a standards-based satellite connectivity platform that works with satellite operators, telecom carriers and device manufacturers. Its network already supports consumer, enterprise and connected-device services across several continents.
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