Direct-to-Device (DTD) not a winner takes all

4/26/2023 - Written By Caleb Henry

Canadian telco Rogers' move to partner with SpaceX and Lynk Global for Direct-to-Device communications shows that DTD probably won't be a zero-sum game. Rogers' partnership appears to emphasize Starlink for broadband and Lynk for emergency services. Given the high value-add of emergency SOS features, we would not be surprised to see a bifurcation in the market, with other MNOs replicating the approach of paying one DTD operator for emergency connectivity and another for high-capacity broadband. A similar dynamic already exists in other markets that use L-band services for mission-critical comms and higher capacity Ku- or Ka-band services for larger data files.

SOURCE: https://globalnews.ca/news/9652106/rogers-spacex-satellite-phone-service-lynk/