Lynk Global completed its merger with Omnispace and relaunched its business under the name Elveo Mobile, giving the company a platform for direct-to-device connectivity via satellites, along with 60 megahertz of globally harmonized S-band spectrum. The companies said on August 17 that the deal had received all required regulatory approvals in the United States and abroad, after its announcement in October without disclosure of its financial terms.
Elveo combines Lynk’s existing platform for direct-to-device connectivity services with Omnispace’s spectrum allocated for satellite communications. Lynk had begun providing intermittent messaging and alert services in a small group of island nations, relying on a network of seven small satellites. The stated goal of the new company is to expand the scope of these services to applications that go beyond basic messaging.
What Does the Merger Add?
Until now, Lynk has relied on cellular frequencies provided by partner telecommunications companies, a model that enables satellites to connect with phones using bands familiar to mobile networks. However, the addition of S-band spectrum allocated for satellites could give Elveo room to support applications requiring greater data capacity, rather than limiting it to messaging and alert services.
This approach comes as other companies in the direct-to-device connectivity sector move toward broader voice, video and data services. Starlink Mobile has expanded its services, despite currently relying on cellular frequencies, to include voice, video and some data services, with more than 650 satellites dedicated to direct-to-device connectivity in orbit. It also plans to launch next-generation satellites next year, using spectrum obtained from EchoStar to offer speeds similar to fifth-generation networks from space. AST SpaceMobile is also pursuing a similar path in using spectrum allocated for satellites.
What Does This Mean in Practice for Telecommunications Operators?
Elveo says it has contractual agreements with more than 50 mobile network operators operating in more than 60 countries. The company’s CEO, Ramu Potarazu, said that later this year Elveo would announce strategic partnerships and investments, along with additional partnerships with mobile network operators and news related to manufacturing and launches, in preparation for its next-generation service.
This move indicates that Elveo’s success will depend not only on satellites and spectrum, but also on its ability to turn operator agreements into coverage and services that can be used on a broader scale. However, the company did not announce in the available material a launch date for the new service or details about its speeds or compatible devices.
SES’s Role and Multiorbit Network Plans
SES, the Luxembourg-based multiorbit operator, remains one of the largest shareholders in the new venture after previously investing in both Lynk and Omnispace. Before the merger, Lynk had outlined a plan to use SES satellites in geostationary orbit and medium Earth orbit to support global, continuous direct-to-device connectivity services by 2027.
Earlier this year, SES launched two experimental satellites to validate next-generation technologies in medium Earth orbit, including an in-orbit relay capability compatible with the Elveo network. Potarazu explained that the two satellites are still in the testing phase, meaning that their operational role within the network has not yet become a completed service.