Turkcell and Sateliot complete first satellite 5G NB-Internet of Things demo by Turkish operator

Turkish telecommunications company Turkcell and Spanish satellite operator Sateliot successfully completed a field demonstration of 5G NB-Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity via satellite, the companies said in a joint statement on Friday.

The demonstration, carried out during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, integrated Sateliot’s low-Earth orbit satellite network with Turkcell’s terrestrial mobile infrastructure, enabling IoT devices to switch between cellular and satellite coverage without interrupting service.

The companies said the test marked the first commercial demonstration of satellite-enabled 5G NB-IoT connectivity by a Turkish mobile operator and highlighted the potential for extending coverage to remote and underserved areas where terrestrial infrastructure is limited.

The integration allows devices using standard cellular protocols to operate across both mobile and satellite networks without requiring additional hardware, according to the statement.

The companies said the technology could support a range of sectors including agriculture, logistics, energy and emergency management by enabling continuous connectivity in areas outside conventional network coverage.

They added that the system may also help maintain communications during power outages and natural disasters.

“This project demonstrates that satellite connectivity can be seamlessly integrated with the mobile network,” Sateliot Chief Operating Officer Gianluca Redolfi was quoted as saying in the statement.

“For the end user, it means that cellular IoT devices continue to function in both mobile and satellite networks, with the same cellular devices,” he added.

“With this collaboration, we reaffirm our commitment to innovation, development, and digitalization of strategic sectors in Türkiye, enabling new IoT services,” said Vehbi Cagri Gungor, chief network technologies officer of Turkcell.

Turkcell and Sateliot said they plan to explore further deployments following the demonstration as demand grows for resilient and uninterrupted machine-to-machine communications infrastructure.