- Iridium and Skylo have emerged as ‘Pacesetters,’ while Viasat, Globalstar, ORBCOMM and Myriota are positioned as ‘Leaders,’ highlighting the diverse approaches to scale as satellite IoT moves beyond niche applications towards broader enterprise adoption.[
- Satellite IoT is entering a new competitive phase with providers increasingly differentiated by hybrid connectivity, device integration, standards-based NTN capabilities and commercial execution.
- Leadership will increasingly depend on the ability to turn connectivity capabilities into scalable deployments across devices, networks and enterprise IoT ecosystems.
Beijing, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo – September 22, 2026
Iridium and Skylo have emerged as ‘Pacesetters’ in Counterpoint Research’s Satellite IoT Connectivity CORE Rankings, 2026, based on strong network capabilities, technology, ecosystem building and market execution.
Commenting on the evolving market landscape, Senior Analyst Subhadip Roy said, “Satellite IoT is moving beyond niche connectivity as 3GPP NTN and hybrid satellite-cellular connectivity bring satellite closer to the cellular ecosystem. The provisioning of satellite-based connectivity solutions is becoming a focus for MNOs, MVNOs, chipset and module vendors, device makers and IoT platforms, in addition to traditional satellite players.”
Counterpoint CORE Satellite IoT Connectivity Rankings, 2026
Source: Counterpoint’s Global Satellite IoT Connectivity CORE Rankings, 2026 (Based on data till end of H1 2026)
Roy added, “While proprietary satellite networks remain important for established remote IoT applications, standards-based NTN and hybrid architectures are creating new routes for satellite connectivity across applications such as logistics, agriculture, maritime, energy and utilities.”
Security, compliance, reliability and network availability are increasingly becoming table stakes in the satellite IoT market. As these foundational capabilities become more comparable across providers, differentiation is shifting toward three areas: device integration, interoperability and commercial execution.
Commenting on the CORE evaluation for satellite IoT connectivity, Research Director Mohit Agrawal said, “Iridium and Skylo have emerged as ‘Pacesetters’, although their strengths come from different positions in the market. Iridium combines a mature global LEO network, an established IoT base and broad partner ecosystem with continued investment in hybrid and standards-based connectivity. Meanwhile, Skylo is pushing the market toward standards-based NTN through deep integration with mobile operator, chipset and device ecosystems.”
Viasat, Globalstar, ORBCOMM and Myriota have emerged as ‘Leaders’, supported by established satellite and IoT capabilities. Viasat benefits from the breadth of its combined Viasat and Inmarsat portfolio, while ORBCOMM and Globalstar continue to build on their established industrial IoT and tracking businesses as they expand their satellite IoT propositions, with Myriota extending its low-power proposition into hybrid architectures.
Sateliot, Thuraya, Kinéis, OQ Technology and Astrocast ranked as ‘Challengers,’ reflecting different approaches to satellite IoT connectivity. Sateliot and OQ Technology are building their propositions around standards-based NB-IoT NTN connectivity and closer integration with the cellular ecosystem. While Thuraya-4 is pursuing a 3GPP-compliant NTN proposition through its Skylo partnership, Kinéis and Astrocast are using proprietary, non-3GPP technologies. While these providers demonstrate strong network and connectivity capabilities across several areas, their competitive positioning increasingly depends on execution, including commercial scale, market reach and deployment breadth.
The Niche category brings together several players focused on segmented or regional opportunities, with specialized capabilities tailored to specific applications or markets. As the satellite IoT market is still nascent, these providers can leverage their focused expertise and regional presence to address specific connectivity requirements.
Agrawal noted, “Satellite IoT is still at a nascent stage, leaving significant room for competitive positions to evolve. As adoption expands, providers will have opportunities to build on their existing strengths, with deployment scale, market reach and the ability to expand across applications increasingly shaping competitive positioning.”
The satellite IoT rankings survey is one of the most comprehensive surveys on the topic. It involves 18 players through multiple interviews and research spanning more than six months.
We have analyzed and evaluated key companies in the Satellite IoT connectivity ecosystem using our proprietary CORE framework, which maps active players according to their capabilities and market execution.
The comprehensive Satellite IoT Rankings report is available for purchase. Please contact Counterpoint Research to gain access to them.
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