Elveo Mobile merger expands satellite direct-to-device services
What's the deal? Lynk Global has completed its merger with Omnispace and rebranded as Elveo MobileDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Washington, DC-headquartered direct-to-device (D2D) satellite venture. The companies said on August 17 they had cleared all US and foreign regulatory approvals to close the transaction, which was announced in October for undisclosed terms.
What's the endgame? Elveo combines Omnispace's 60MHz of S-band spectrum with Lynk's D2D platform, which has provided intermittent messaging and alert services across a small group of island nations from seven deployed small satellites. Dedicated satellite spectrum could help support more bandwidth-heavy data applications.
Why now? Omnispace had planned to use the spectrum for D2D connectivity from more than 600 proposed satellites, but those efforts stalled after it reported interference from SpaceXDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s D2D operations in the US. Lynk's low Earth orbit network has relied on cellular frequencies from mobile network operator (MNO) partners to date.
What's next? Chief executive officer Ramu Potarazu said Elveo plans to announce strategic partnerships and investments later this year, following agreements with more than 50 MNOs across over 60 countries. "We will be announcing strategic partnerships and MNO partnerships," he added, "along with news regarding manufacturing and launch as we prepare to enable our next-generation service."
Luxembourg-based operator SES, which had invested in both companies, remains a leading shareholder. Before the merger, Lynk had outlined plans to use SES satellites in geostationary and medium Earth orbit (MEO) to support global, continuous D2D services by 2027. Other investors include FortressDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Stepstone, Columbia CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Telcom VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Blazar VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
The signal: The merger reflects a race to build dedicated satellite spectrum for D2D, following moves from SpaceX and rival AST SpaceMobile. Starlink MobileDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → already offers over-the-top voice, video, and some data with more than 650 D2D satellites, and plans to launch next-generation satellites next year using EchoStarDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → spectrum to deliver 5G-like speeds from space.
Read more: SpaceNews
Image credit: NASA Goddard Photo and Video
