• - Europe’s investment arm is lending Luxembourg-based OQ Technology 25 million euros ($30 million) to expand its direct-to-device constellation, bolstering the continent’s push to compete with U.S.-led efforts to connect smartphones from space. • The European Investment Bank (EIB) debt will support the deployment of more than 20 small satellites, OQ Technology announced Feb. • 25, including itsfirst dedicated to providing smartphone connectivityin C-band that is slated for launch in the middle of this year. • OQ Technology currently uses S-band to connect proprietary and mass-market off-the-grid tracking and monitoring devices, after deploying 10 Internet of Things (IoT) satellites in low Earth orbit. • Last year, the operator used one of those satellites to transmit a test emergency broadcast message to unmodified smartphones, demonstrating early direct-to-device (D2D) capability. • C-band promises greater bandwidth than S-band, and additional spacecraft would improve coverage and latency for what OQ Technology intends to be a multi-band constellation serving IoT and smartphone devices.

Article Summaries:

  • TAMPA, Fla. - Europe’s investment arm is lending Luxembourg-based OQ Technology 25 million euros ($30 million) to expand its direct-to-device constellation, bolstering the continent’s push to compete with U.S.-led efforts to connect smartphones from space. The European Investment Bank (EIB) debt will support the deployment of more than 20 small satellites, OQ Technology announced Feb. 25, including its first dedicated to providing smartphone connectivity in C-band that is slated for launch in the middle of this year. OQ Technology currently uses S-band to connect proprietary and mass-market of

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