Iridium NTN Direct Begins Live Testing with Mlink
Rhea-AI Summary
Iridium (Nasdaq: IRDM) announced that Mlink has begun live, on-air testing of its MS150-IR IoT-NTN chipset using Iridium NTN Direct, a 3GPP standards-based non-terrestrial network service.
The partners expect chipset certification and product availability before the end of 2026, supporting global NB-IoT and D2D connectivity for low-power IoT applications.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Positive
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Negative
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News Market Reaction – IRDM
On the day this news was published, IRDM declined 4.26%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Peers on Argus
LILA and LILAK showed notable gains, while other close telecom peers were mixed. With sector momentum flags limited and no clear target-direction signal, the move around this Iridium NTN Direct update appears more company-specific than sector-driven.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14 | Strategic acquisition | Positive | +0.8% | Deal to acquire remaining Aireon stake with expected revenue and OEBITDA uplift. |
| Apr 23 | Earnings results | Positive | +1.3% | Q1 2026 results with reaffirmed guidance and solid OEBITDA performance. |
| Apr 02 | Earnings date set | Positive | +15.2% | Announcement of upcoming Q1 2026 earnings release and conference call. |
| Feb 24 | Product launch | Positive | +3.1% | Launch of Iridium 9604 next‑generation IoT module with June 2026 availability. |
| Feb 17 | Investor conferences | Positive | +1.6% | Participation in multiple investor conferences to engage and update shareholders. |
Iridium shares have generally reacted positively to a variety of recent corporate updates and events.
Regulatory & Risk Context
Short interest is relatively low, suggesting limited squeeze potential and only moderate added volatility from short covering.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement expands Iridium’s NTN ecosystem, leveraging a 66-satellite LEO network and targeting certification before 2026 year-end. Recent news has generally seen constructive price responses, but insider net selling and execution on commercialization remain key watch points.
Key Terms
nb-iot technical
3gpp technical
non-terrestrial network (ntn) technical
low earth orbit (leo) technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Mlink chipsets expand the ecosystem for Iridium's standards-based NB-IoT and D2D connectivity
Mlink joins a growing ecosystem of chipset providers supporting Iridium NTN Direct, Iridium's 3GPP standards-based non-terrestrial network (NTN) service. By integrating Iridium NTN Direct, Mlink's chipsets will help device manufacturers, module makers and mobile network operators (MNOs) extend low-power IoT connectivity beyond the reach of terrestrial networks through a single global satellite platform. The companies anticipate certification and product availability before the end of 2026.
"We're excited by Mlink's strong progress and the successful transition from lab testing to live on-orbit validation over the Iridium network," said Tim Last, Executive Vice President, Iridium. "This achievement demonstrates the technical maturity of both teams and the readiness of Iridium NTN Direct. We look forward to certification of the MS150-IR chipset later this year, giving our partners and customers additional high-quality, standards-compliant options for global NB-IoT and D2D connectivity."
"Having the opportunity to collaborate with Iridium in the emerging NTN field is a tremendous opportunity for Mlink," said Zhiping An, Co-Founder and Vice President, Mlink. "Our MS150-IR chipset platform has successfully completed Iridium's laboratory testing and has now progressed into the over-the-air (OTA) testing phase. We also have introduced a comprehensive reference design kit, enabling our customers to accelerate product development and commercialization. We look forward to leveraging Iridium NTN Direct to provide high-quality low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication services to customers around the world, enabling reliable and efficient global connectivity."
Iridium NTN Direct leverages Iridium's unique network of 66 cross-linked LEO satellites and 3GPP standards to deliver low-latency, reliable connectivity with excellent signal penetration on a truly global basis. The service is designed for IoT applications including asset tracking, logistics, utilities, agriculture, automotive, industrial monitoring and remote infrastructure, extending connectivity where terrestrial coverage is unavailable, limited or unreliable.
For chipset vendors, module manufacturers, OEMs, and MNOs, Iridium NTN Direct reduces the technical and commercial barriers to integrating satellite connectivity into existing products and networks without requiring additional terrestrial infrastructure. The service enables partners to expand coverage, improve resilience and support new connected-device applications using globally recognized standards.
Mlink's advancement adds to Iridium's expanding roster of chipset partners and reinforces growing momentum toward commercial availability of Iridium NTN Direct in 2026. Iridium NTN Direct is designed to deliver truly global, standards-based NB-IoT and D2D connectivity, enabling devices, sensors and assets to remain connected anywhere on Earth.
For more information on Iridium NTN Direct and how to join the ecosystem, visit: www.iridium.com/ntn-direct.
For more information about Iridium, visit: www.iridium.com
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) operates the world's only truly global mobile satellite network, delivering reliable voice, data, and positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services anywhere on Earth. Iridium supports safety- and mission-critical operations for diverse markets such as aviation, maritime, government, emergency services, critical infrastructure, autonomous systems, and remote monitoring applications, where connectivity is essential.
Headquartered in
About Mlink Technology Inc.
Mlink Technology Inc, founded in 2013, is a leading innovator in semiconductor solutions for satellite and cellular communications. Mlink has launched SatCom chipsets covering multiple standards such as IoT-NTN, NR-NTN, and GMR, as well as cellular communication chips for 5G RedCap and NB-IoT. Mlink's MS150 series IoT-NTN chipsets and MS340 series NR-NTN chipsets have successfully completed extensive LEO and GEO satellite testing across multiple countries and regions worldwide. Today, they are recognized as among the industry's most widely adopted NTN chipset platforms.
Headquartered in Beijing, the company has established research and development centers in Shanghai, Hefei, and Xiamen. For more information about Mlink, visit: www.mlink-tech.cn.
Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure
Statements in this press release that are not purely historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has based these statements on its current expectations and the information currently available to us. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the capabilities, benefits and availability of the Iridium NTN Direct service. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the words "anticipates," "may," "can," "believes," "expects," "projects," "intends," "likely," "will," "to be" and other expressions that are predictions or indicate future events, trends or prospects. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Iridium to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties regarding the timing of commercial availability of the Iridium NTN Direct service, 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 by the forward-looking statements include those factors listed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 12, 2026, as well as other filings Iridium makes with the SEC from time to time. 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 vary materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Iridium's forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Iridium undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
Press Contact: | Investor Contact: |
Jordan Hassin | Kenneth Levy |
Iridium Communications Inc. | Iridium Communications Inc. |
+1 (703) 287-7421 | +1 (703) 287-7570 |
X: @Iridiumcomm |
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SOURCE Iridium Communications Inc.