Can satellite connectivity help mobile IoT reach for the stars?

The Things Conference 2025 recently concluded in Amsterdam, marking a milestone for the global LoRaWAN and broader IoT community. Coinciding with the 10-year mark since the creation of The Things Industries and the founding of the LoRa Alliance, the conference offered reflections on a decade of IoT evolution. Discussions also highlighted the emerging edge AI opportunity and the impact of the EU Cyber Resilience Act for the wider IoT ecosystem.

Q3 2025 saw further trials of direct-to-device (D2D) offerings from telcos, with Rogers in Canada the latest to launch. Examining the trials, it is clear that initial services will focus on SMS and, in some cases, voice. Both are low bandwidth and within the bounds of the spectral capacity available.

Operator strategies continue to evolve in the digital era as the telecoms industry seeks to capture new growth opportunities in the consumer and enterprise markets. Assessing innovation and achievements is more important than ever before. GSMA Intelligence's operator case studies provide a concise and consistent way to shine a light on and analyse operators' strategies and business models, as well as how they are launching new services. This edition highlights Tele2’s launch of its global VoLTE service to aid the shutdown of its 2G/3G networks, but also with a view to extending the service to IoT customers.