Satellite IoT connections surpassed 7 million globally in 2025 and are forecast to reach 42 million by 2030, according to Berg Insight. Behind that growth is a broader shift toward hybrid connectivity, as satellite networks increasingly adopt cellular, LoRa and even Bluetooth technologies already used in terrestrial IoT.
Satellite IoT is moving away from its traditional role as a specialized connectivity option requiring dedicated terminals and proprietary technologies. As standards and device ecosystems begin to converge, satellite coverage is increasingly being positioned as an extension of terrestrial IoT networks rather than a completely separate communications layer.
That transition provides important context for Berg Insight’s latest satellite IoT forecast. The research firm estimates that the global satellite IoT subscriber base exceeded 7 million in 2025 and expects it to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 43.1 percent, reaching 42 million connections by 2030.
A market expanding beyond incumbent satellite operators
The current market remains led by established satellite providers. Berg Insight identifies Iridium, ORBCOMM, Viasat/Inmarsat and Globalstar as the largest satellite IoT network operators. Iridium reached 2.1 million subscribers after growing its installed base by 6 percent during the year, while ORBCOMM had around 950,000 satellite IoT subscribers across its own and Viasat’s networks at the end of 2025. Globalstar reported 540,000 subscribers.
But the competitive landscape is becoming considerably broader. Berg Insight’s study covers 44 satellite IoT operators, including more than two dozen newer initiatives. Among them are AST SpaceMobile, Geespace, Hubble Network, Kinéis, Lynk, Myriota, OQ Technology, Plan-S, Sateliot, Skylo and Starlink, with many relying on low-Earth-orbit satellite architectures.
The distinction is not simply the arrival of additional constellations. A growing number of these networks are adopting radio technologies that already have established terrestrial device ecosystems. Berg Insight identifies multiple operators using 3GPP 4G and 5G technologies, while others are building around LoRa. Hubble Network is taking another route by enabling direct satellite communication from Bluetooth devices.
Hybrid connectivity is becoming the more important story
This convergence differentiates the current satellite IoT expansion from earlier phases of the market. Historically, adding satellite coverage often meant adding a dedicated radio, antenna and connectivity service. Standards-based NTN and other approaches using familiar terrestrial technologies create the possibility of reducing that separation.
The practical implication is significant for OEMs. If terrestrial and satellite connectivity can increasingly share device hardware, standards or connectivity management infrastructure, manufacturers may be able to support remote coverage without maintaining entirely separate satellite-specific product families. That does not eliminate antenna, power, certification or network-integration requirements, but it can change where the complexity sits in the IoT architecture.
Recent deployments and partnerships illustrate that direction. NB-IoT is already being extended to LEO satellite coverage through collaborations between mobile IoT providers and satellite operators, while other projects are combining terrestrial cellular, satellite and Wi-Fi connectivity within the same device architecture.
For connectivity providers and MVNOs, this also turns satellite from a separate specialist service into a potential extension of an existing IoT portfolio. Berg Insight highlights Skylo as particularly active in this area, working with operators and connectivity providers including Deutsche Telekom, Verizon, Telefónica, Orange, Vodafone, KPN, Tele2, Soracom, floLIVE, emnify and BICS. Other satellite providers pursuing mobile operator and MVNO partnerships include AST SpaceMobile, Iridium, OQ Technology, Sateliot, Starlink, Terrestar and Viasat.
Coverage remains the fundamental driver
The underlying business case remains geographic. Berg Insight notes that terrestrial connectivity services cover only about 10 percent of the Earth’s surface. Satellite therefore addresses environments where building conventional network infrastructure is impractical, including maritime operations, remote agriculture, energy infrastructure, construction sites and transportation routes.
Asset tracking is particularly well aligned with this model because connected assets can move repeatedly between terrestrial coverage and remote areas. For these deployments, the emerging architecture is less about choosing satellite instead of cellular or LPWAN than about maintaining connectivity when the preferred terrestrial network disappears.
The forecast of 42 million connections therefore represents more than rapid growth in a relatively small connectivity segment. It points to satellite becoming progressively integrated into the wider IoT connectivity ecosystem. If that convergence continues, the relevant distinction for enterprises may increasingly shift from “terrestrial versus satellite” toward how efficiently devices, connectivity platforms and operators can manage both within the same deployment.
The post Satellite IoT Connections Set to Reach 42 Million by 2030 appeared first on IoT Business News.