Smartphone satellite direct-to-device service revenue to approach $12 billion by 2030 – Omdia

Satellite links straight to ordinary smartphones are on track to become a sizable business over the next few years, according to new research from Omdia. The firm forecasts that "direct-to-device" services, where phones connect directly to satellites rather than relying only on cell towers, could generate close to $12 billion in annual revenue by 2030.

This shift lines up with the industry’s roadmap for 6G, which is expected to be the first mobile standard to build non-terrestrial networks (NTN) into its core design rather than treating satellites as a separate add-on. If that happens, satellite connectivity could move from a niche backup option to a standard part of mobile service, especially in areas with weak or no coverage from traditional networks.