Today's Edition
SAMIHAH ZAMAN (DUBAI)
A new connectivity service will soon mean that users never have to worry about dropped Internet access or lost signals, even in remote areas of the globe.
By connecting smartphones directly to satellites through the Direct-to-Device technology under development, Space42 is set to achieve yet another milestone in its mission to connect the world, said Elmuiz Saad, Senior Vice President for Commercial at Space42.
“Space42 has always been working on technology that connects more people, and on developing innovative products to enhance connectivity. If you look at our product portfolio, from the beginning, we prioritise connectivity through terrestrial networks and satellite,” Saad told Aletihad on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow 2025.
“With Direct-to-Device (D2D) capabilities, we are going to continue this journey: [the capability will help us connect] a group of people, or wide areas in a country, using unmodified devices with access to the Internet. [This way,] we can enable more people to communicate without any limitations. We are very excited about it. It’s something we have been doing for a lot of years, and now we are taking the knowledge that we have today given our partnership with Viasat to the next level,” he added.
Saad was referring to Space42’s formation in September 2025 of Equatys, in partnership with Viasat, Inc., a global leader in satellite and secure communications. Equatys aims to enable D2D services, and enhance the evolution of existing and planned Mobile Satellite Services to a 5G network environment.
In its initial announcement, Space42 said the new entity expects to unite satellite and terrestrial networks, extending service to billions of people and devices worldwide. The service is expected to be capable of supporting well over 100 MHz of harmonised mobile satellite services spectrum that is already allocated across more than 160 markets, and establish a foundation for reliable global communications within three years.
“[In simple terms], the idea is to have a smartphone connected directly to a satellite. You won’t need to have a special product or antenna: it is a smartphone that can connect to the Internet. Being in the UAE, the UAE will benefit from the infrastructure that this solution will bring to life, but it’s about connecting more people in areas where you need communication,” Saad said.
Thuraya, as the UAE’s first national satellite operator and now part of Space42, connects over 150 countries through two operational geostationary satellites.
“We have been connecting people for the last 25 years, and we have a lot of information about areas where communication is needed. If you look at the world geographically, and at connecting maritime industry or areas without connectivity, it is an ecosystem we have been working on for a long time, including building satellites to complete this mission,” the official added.
Space42 has also pioneered the first Android satellite phone – the Thuraya 1 – which is on display at the Dubai Airshow. Users need to push a button on the top of phone to deploy an antenna, which then connects the phone to satellite networks.
Demonstrating the simple functionality of the phone, Saad said it provides easy connectivity across the global.
“This device provides connectivity in 155 countries, and it provides roaming with the entire world. Even if there is no satellite coverage in a certain area, you can use Thuraya SIM cards to connect into the local GSM networks available. The phone is available through the Thuraya distribution network,” he added.
