LIVE FROM MWL UNWRAPPED: Kevin Cohen, VP of direct-to-device strategy at satellite player Viasat (pictured), argued the company was in a unique position to provide space-based services to consumer devices and the enterprise IoT sector.

Cohen said the completion of a deal to acquire UK rival Inmarsat in May 2023 meant Viasat now has a global fleet of L-Band and K-Band satellites.

On the consumer front, Viasat last month demonstrated direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity for the first time in India through a partnership with operator BSNL.  

The demonstration at India Mobile World Congress showcased satellite messaging and a SOS feature directly to an Android phone, for use in areas with no terrestrial connectivity or during outages.

Cohen said the company’s birds are also being used to provision satellite SOS messaging across the US on Google Pixel 9 devices along with wholesale satellite service provider Skylo. The consumer L-Band service is based on the 3GPP’s Release-17.

“With 3GPP Release-17, basically it starts with the chipset manufacturers like Qualcomm, MediaTek, Sony,” he said. “They have to build the chipset that has the capabilities of the new spectrum that’s being added to the standard.”

While much of the focus for D2D services is on areas with little-to-no mobile service, Cohen said it would fill in coverage gaps in suburban and urban areas, or be used for emergencies.

“We started in the US and we’re expanding, probably starting with some of the more developed markets, whether it’s Europe, Japan, Australia, but we’ll grow from there.”

The more developed world markets typically have premium handset models which are ideal for D2D services.

“It’s going to take a while for the lower-cost phones to have this feature adopted,” Cohen said.

NB-IoT
Viasat is also bullish on providing satellite connectivity across verticals including maritime, aviation, automotive and government sectors.

Enterprise IoT services previously required specific devices which “cost a lot of money” and large reoccurring fees.

“With the 3GPP standard release and what is now called NB-IoT, or narrowband IoT standard, we can basically turn those satellites into cell phone towers from space,” he explained.

Cohen noted D2D services and a standards-based approach mean there are now IoT devices which can switch between satellite and mobile connectivity as needed.

“All of the applications for IoT can now be monetised and will improve the lives of many people, whether it’s water metering, agriculture, or cattle tracking.”

“There’s so many different IoT applications that now get unlocked, either for critical infrastructure when communication systems go down, or for areas outside of cellular connectivity.”

Watch a replay of the full keynote here.