Sateliot, the leading 5G IoT satellite constellation operator, and Turkcell, Türkiye’s leading telecommunications and technology company, have successfully completed a field demonstration of 5G NTN IoT connectivity via satellite both in Barcelona and Istanbul. The demonstration was carried out to validate standard-based 5G NB-IoT NTN connectivity over Sateliot’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation and demonstrate its seamless integration as an extension of Turkcell’s terrestrial cellular network.
This test confirms that cellular IoT devices can seamlessly remain connected when they leave terrestrial coverage, switching between mobile and satellite networks without service interruption. This opens the door to new digital applications in remote and hard-to-reach areas where connectivity is currently limited. Thanks to this integration, sectors such as agriculture, logistics, energy, and emergency management -which are growing rapidly in Türkiye and adopting digital solutions- can continuously and securely monitor assets and processes. The combination of terrestrial and satellite connectivity allows for extended reach to remote areas without replacing existing devices, thus offering a seamless and uninterrupted experience to the end user.
Following the success of this trial, Sateliot and Turkcell will explore future deployments, consolidating a more connected, inclusive IoT ecosystem, ready for the challenges of digitalization.
“This project demonstrates that satellite connectivity can be seamlessly integrated with the mobile network. For the end user, it means that their cellular IoT devices continue to function in both mobile and satellite networks, with the same cellular device,” says Gianluca Redolfi, CCO of Sateliot.
“With this collaboration, we reaffirm our commitment to innovation, development, and digitalization of strategic sectors in Türkiye, enabling new IoT services,” says Prof. Dr. Vehbi Çagri Güngör, Chief Network Technologies Officer of Turkcell.
