Not a space race: A space alliance for global IoT

Launching at Mobile World Congress 2026: Lacuna Space invites global partners to join its collaborative LoneWhisper®® D2D constellation.

Harwell, Oxfordshire, 26th February 2026 – UK satellite innovator Lacuna Space is opening its operational LoneWhisper® Direct-to-Device (D2D) IoT technology to collaborators worldwide, giving operators and national partners the opportunity to deploy Lacuna’s proven technology on their own satellites and to work together in a federated network.

Instead of building a constellation from scratch, partners can now plug into one that already works, reducing risk and time to market.

“This is how we fast-track the future of direct-to-device connectivity, through partnership and shared capability,” said Rob Spurrett, CEO of Lacuna Space. “By hosting our flight-proven LoneWhisper® gateway payloads on their own spacecraft, partners can immediately integrate into a mature, global network purpose-built for low-power IoT services.”

Why This Matters

Large parts of the planet remain beyond the reach of cellular networks. Yet sensors monitoring agriculture, forestry, water systems, logistics assets, and critical infrastructure need to communicate continuously. Satellite IoT solves that, but historically at high cost and complexity. Lacuna’s approach changes the equation.

Lacuna’s LoneWhisper® technology allows standard LoRa®-enabled devices to transmit data directly to satellites from anywhere on Earth – from remote farmland and offshore wind farms to mountain infrastructure and ocean-going vessels. No terrestrial coverage required.

Following almost ten years of development and a €20 million investment, Lacuna Space has refined LoneWhisper®. The platform combines sophisticated almanac provisioning with a global ground-based message broker, enabling reliable message routing between devices and applications no matter which operator’s satellites are in view.

Now, the company is opening up this capability for broader adoption. Partners can host Lacuna’s IoT gateway payloads on their own spacecraft and connect directly into the shared Lacuna Network: a collaborative, open architecture designed to strengthen as new participants come on board.

“Lacuna has created a unique opportunity for partners to scale IoT services globally — delivering real satellite connectivity without the time, cost, and complexity of building from scratch,” said Olivier Beaujard, LoRa Alliance board chair and senior director, LoRa ecosystem at Semtech. “This is exactly the kind of ecosystem innovation that demonstrates what LoRa® technology makes possible at a global scale.”

Every satellite added increases worldwide coverage. Through shared access to Lacuna’s operational constellation, partners gain immediate expansion of their connectivity footprint, with each network effectively enhancing the reach of the others, similar to the way mobile roaming extends service across operators.

A Shared Hybrid Network Built for Strategic Resilience

Partners can:

• Host Lacuna gateway payloads on their own spacecraft

• Roam immediately on the existing Lacuna Network

• Expand global coverage collaboratively

Since announcing its collaboration with Lacuna Space in 2024, dstelecom has reinforced its role in the European satellite IoT ecosystem, becoming one of the first international partners to operationalize the Lacuna Network.

By leveraging this shared infrastructure model, dstelecom is accelerating the deployment of next-generation IoT services, with a strategic focus on ocean connectivity and low-density territories — two pillars critical to territorial cohesion and Portugal’s blue economy.

The company has already conducted successful pilots across Portugal’s coastal waters and in remote northern communities, demonstrating how the seamless integration of terrestrial and satellite networks can ensure continuous, resilient connectivity where it has traditionally been unavailable.

A key milestone was the demonstration of hybrid satellite–terrestrial communications during REPMUS, the Portuguese Navy-led NATO exercise and one of the largest international robotic experimentation programs involving maritime unmanned systems. This participation underscores dstelecom’s growing relevance in defense, maritime security, and dual-use technology environments.

“The future of connectivity is hybrid and strategically resilient. By integrating Lacuna’s collaborative model, we are building that future today. Testing, validating, and scaling IoT services even before deploying our own satellites into orbit. This approach reduces technological risk, accelerates commercial readiness, and positions dstelecom at the strategic intersection of terrestrial telecommunications and space infrastructure.” said Ricardo Salgado, CEO of dstelecom.

Through this partnership, dstelecom advances its long-term vision: to develop a resilient, hybrid connectivity ecosystem capable of supporting the next phase of the blue economy, while strengthening Portugal’s role as a European hub for the convergence of telecommunications and space infrastructure.

Satellite-Proven Technology, Ready to Scale

The Lacuna Network is operational now – it’s a reality, not just an idea.

• Multiple payloads launched with 100% success

• Over 4+ million messages delivered

• Active users in agriculture, environmental monitoring, logistics, and infrastructure

Partners can gain instant access to a mature system, allowing them to leverage proven technology while prioritising their own market solutions.

Strategic Advantages

• Faster deployment – Begin IoT services now by roaming on Lacuna’s network before your own satellites are deployed.

• Lower capital outlay – Use proven LoneWhisper® gateway technology and software without building from scratch.

• Lower risk – Built on open LoRaWAN standards, ensuring interoperability and long-term sustainability and proven in orbit over almost a decade of development and trials.

“Lacuna Space exemplifies how satellite LoRaWAN can transform connectivity at a global scale,” said Alper Yegin, CEO of LoRa Alliance. “And this collaborative approach to building a satellite IoT constellation aligns with our mission to grow an open, interoperable IoT ecosystem that can really have an impact and bridge gaps on Earth.”

A Turning Point for Satellite IoT

Satellite IoT has long been tested. What Lacuna is demonstrating is scalability.

By combining massive message-handling capacity with an open partnership model, the company is transforming Direct-to-Device connectivity from a niche concept into deployable infrastructure.

This is not another satellite announcement – it’s an invitation to join a working global network.

By joining forces with Lacuna, you tap into a €20M technology foundation and nearly ten years of real-world deployment, iteration, and refinement. This is a proven platform – not a prototype – built for collaboration, innovation, and global reach. Together, we can extend coverage, accelerate new applications, and create a worldwide IoT network that no single operator could achieve alone.

Meet Lacuna at Mobile World Congress 2026

Lacuna Space will be at MWC in Barcelona, March 2nd-5th 2026, leading discussions on how shared satellite infrastructure can redefine global IoT connectivity.

Visit the team at the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Pavilion, Hall 7, Stand C28, or book a meeting via contact@lacuna-space.com.