MCLEAN, Va., October 14 /PRNewswire/ — Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) today announced that Altair Semiconductor, the global leader in cellular IoT chips, is integrating Iridium NTN Direct℠ functionality into Altair’s ALT1350 and next-generation ALT1550 IoT chip platforms. By supporting both terrestrial cellular IoT and Iridium satellite connectivity on a single chip, device manufacturers, module makers, and mobile network operators (MNOs) will be able to extend IoT connectivity beyond terrestrial network coverage using the Iridium satellite network, without the need to add a separate satellite modem to their designs.
The partnership combines Altair’s cellular IoT chip technology with Iridium’s 3GPP-compliant Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) services. Altair’s chip technology is described as one of the most highly integrated low-power connectivity solutions available today, offering an additional chip option for products requiring connectivity beyond terrestrial cellular coverage. For the ultra-low-power ALT1350, such connectivity needs include asset tracking, logistics, smart metering and utilities, agriculture, vehicle telematics, industrial monitoring, and remote infrastructure. For the ALT1550, these capabilities will also extend to the next generation of AI-driven 5G eRedCap devices, such as smart glasses, AI assistants, and other wearables requiring connectivity anywhere.
Tim Last, Executive Vice President of Iridium, said: “Altair has deep expertise in developing highly integrated, low-power IoT solutions, and we are excited to partner with them to extend their reach using Iridium’s truly global satellite network. As a leader in the satellite IoT market, Iridium is providing device manufacturers with a powerful new way to develop connected products. Integrating Iridium NTN Direct into Altair’s chips will enable solutions and applications that require reliable, low-power connectivity beyond the limitations of terrestrial networks.”
Dima Feldman, Vice President of Product Management and Marketing at Altair Semiconductor, said: “Adding Iridium NTN Direct to our ultra-low-power LTE-M/NB-IoT ALT1350 and 5G RedCap ALT1550 chips reflects our commitment to giving customers greater flexibility, enabling their IoT devices to connect to networks in more ways and across more locations. With Iridium’s truly global low Earth orbit satellite connectivity combined with terrestrial cellular networks, device manufacturers can more easily develop solutions that operate reliably wherever they are deployed.”
Iridium NTN Direct leverages Iridium’s fully operational low Earth orbit satellite constellation and globally coordinated L-band spectrum to extend standards-based connectivity beyond terrestrial networks. This service is designed to support NB-IoT and direct device-to-device (D2D) applications using 3GPP-compliant chipsets, providing mobile network operators, chipmakers, and device manufacturers with a pathway to extend connectivity through the Iridium satellite network.
Altair has joined an expanding ecosystem of partners working together to bring the Iridium NTN Direct service to market. A combination of chipmakers, module manufacturers, OEMs, device makers, and IoT developers is driving the next generation of NTN and cellular network integration, with Iridium NTN Direct at the heart of this advancement.
For more information about Iridium NTN Direct, visit www.iridium.com/ntn-direct
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) operates the world’s only truly global mobile satellite network. The company provides a platform for innovation, delivering voice, data, and messaging, positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), and aircraft surveillance services anywhere on Earth. Leveraging its satellite constellation and integrated capabilities—including the world’s only space-based air traffic surveillance system, Aireon—Iridium delivers services that support safe operations in aviation, maritime, government, industrial, and consumer markets. The company is a leader in satellite IoT connectivity and is advancing open-standard-based device-to-device (D2D) communications to expand access to satellite services.
Iridium, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, drives innovation through an ecosystem of over 500 technology and distribution partners, serving millions of customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.iridium.com.
Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure
Statements in this press release that are not purely historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The company has made these statements based on current expectations and information currently available. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the capabilities, advantages, and availability of Iridium NTN Direct services. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “may,” “can,” “believes,” “expects,” “projects,” “intends,” “likely,” “will,” “to be,” and other expressions indicating predictions or future events, trends, or prospects. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause Iridium’s actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from the future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainty regarding the commercial availability timeline of Iridium NTN Direct services, the company’s ability to maintain the health, capacity, and content of its satellite constellation, general industry and economic conditions, and competitive, legal, governmental, and technological factors. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include those listed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Iridium’s Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 12, 2026, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, and its Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on July 22, 2026, for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, as well as other documents Iridium periodically files with the SEC. There is no assurance that Iridium’s expectations will be realized. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Iridium’s underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from expectations, estimates, or projections. Forward-looking statements in this press release are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Iridium Communications Inc.