On-Air Trials Underway: Iridium NTN Direct Prepares to Enter Beta as Testing Continues
Rhea-AI Summary
Iridium (Nasdaq: IRDM) announced successful on-air testing of Iridium NTN Direct on Jan 21, 2026, including two-way message transmission over its LEO satellite network.
Iridium said the tests used new 5G waveform algorithms via a software update to the constellation and a Nordic Semiconductor nRF9151 module, and the company plans beta testing and commercial service of Iridium NTN Direct in 2026 to deliver standards-based NB-IoT and D2D global coverage.
Positive
- On-air two-way NB-IoT tests completed on Jan 21, 2026
- Beta and commercial service planned for 2026
- Software update enabled 5G waveform algorithms across the constellation
- Partnered with Nordic using nRF9151 LTE-M/NB-IoT/NTN module
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, IRDM gained 2.72%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +8.0% during that session. Our momentum scanner triggered 37 alerts that day, indicating elevated trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $61M to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $2.31B at that time. Trading volume was elevated at 2.2x the daily average, suggesting notable buying interest.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
IRDM is up 0.32% while key peers show mixed moves: GOGO up 2.98%, CCOI down 0.39%, LILA down 0.81%, IDT down 0.28%, and LILAK flat. This points to stock-specific drivers for IRDM.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 09 | IoT integration deal | Positive | -0.3% | Hyundai integrates Hi MATE fleet management with Iridium SBD connectivity. |
| Dec 04 | Board appointment | Positive | +2.4% | Louis Alterman joins board, adding tech and finance leadership experience. |
| Dec 02 | Government contract win | Positive | +1.6% | U.S. Space Force awards 5-year SITH contract worth up to $85.8M. |
| Nov 04 | Investor conferences | Neutral | +0.8% | Participation in three late-2025 investor conferences announced. |
| Nov 04 | NTN partnership | Positive | -2.6% | Vodafone IoT partnership to add Iridium NTN Direct NB-IoT connectivity in 2026. |
Recent positive contracts and partnerships sometimes saw mixed price reactions, with a few NTN/IoT wins followed by short-term share weakness despite fundamentally constructive news.
Over the past few months, Iridium highlighted several strategic steps. On Nov 4, 2025, it partnered with Vodafone IoT to use NTN Direct for NB-IoT connectivity planned for 2026. That same day, it outlined participation in multiple investor conferences. On Dec 2, 2025, Iridium secured a 5-year U.S. Space Force SITH contract worth up to $85.8 million, followed by a board expansion on Dec 4. On Dec 9, Hyundai Construction Equipment chose Iridium’s satellite IoT for remote fleet management. Today’s NTN Direct testing update extends this IoT/NTN narrative toward commercialization in 2026.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights successful on-air testing of Iridium NTN Direct, moving the company closer to a standards-based NB-IoT and direct-to-device service targeted for commercial availability in 2026. It builds on recent IoT partnerships and government contracts that emphasize global, low-latency coverage. Investors may watch for additional operator and chipset deals, progress on broader partner integrations, and evidence that the NTN Direct roadmap translates into scalable revenue opportunities over time.
Key Terms
nb-iot technical
direct-to-device technical
non-terrestrial network technical
5g technical
software-defined satellites technical
low-earth orbit technical
3gpp technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
The first mobile-originated message sent over the Iridium NTN Direct service read: "To Iridium and Beyond."
Iridium NTN Direct is being developed as the world's first truly global, standards-based NB-IoT and direct-to-device (D2D) non-terrestrial network (NTN) service. With Iridium NTN Direct, mobile network operators (MNOs) can extend coverage beyond terrestrial networks, while chipset makers and device manufacturers can integrate standardized satellite capability into their products to support this expanded reach.
"Iridium NTN Direct is no longer a concept, it's on the air, sending messages, and now being rigorously tested to meet our elite performance standards," said Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium. "This milestone reinforces why mobile network operators and chipset makers are engaging with Iridium. We offer a low-risk, globally coordinated, and operational network designed to complement what they do, not compete with what they do."
The successful testing is leveraging new 5G waveform algorithms implemented on Iridium's software-defined satellites, supporting the NB-IoT standards-based protocol defined by 3GPP. Activated via software update to the Iridium constellation, the first mobile-originated messages were transmitted using the low power nRF9151 LTE-M/NB-IoT/NTN module from Nordic Semiconductor, a global leader in low power wireless connectivity solutions, reflecting Iridium's previously announced collaboration.
"This successful test proves that global connectivity is no longer limited by infrastructure – we can now deploy battery-powered connected devices anywhere, using a standard, low-power module such as Nordic's nRF9151," said Oyvind Birkenes, EVP Long-Range BU at Nordic Semiconductor. "Our roadmap is fully aligned with Iridium's 2026 plans, and we are committed to accelerating mass-market adoption of standards-based, space-enabled IoT for everyone."
Iridium NTN Direct is designed for a broad set of use cases in both consumer and industrial markets, including emergency and safety messaging, asset tracking, automotive and transportation monitoring, utilities, logistics, agriculture, and remote infrastructure maintenance. For MNOs, the service represents an incremental opportunity to eliminate coverage gaps, enhance subscriber retention, and unlock new revenue streams without the need to build or maintain additional terrestrial infrastructure. For chipset makers and OEMs, it enables a single, standards-based hardware platform capable of supporting global connectivity across both terrestrial and satellite networks.
Unlike regional or cellular spectrum-based satellite solutions, Iridium NTN Direct is designed to deliver
Iridium plans to continue expanding on-air testing and partner integrations in the months ahead as it advances towards commercial availability of Iridium NTN Direct in 2026.
For more information about Iridium NTN Direct and how to start your path toward integration, visit www.iridium.com/ntn-direct.
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium® is the only mobile voice, data, and PNT satellite network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations, and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. In 2024, Iridium acquired Satelles and its positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) service. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in
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 development, marketing and availability of the Iridium NTN Direct service, the company's ability to maintain the health, capacity and content of its satellite constellation, as well as 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, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 13, 2025, and the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, filed with the SEC on October 23, 2025, 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 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 |
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SOURCE Iridium Communications Inc.
FAQ
What did Iridium (IRDM) announce about Iridium NTN Direct on Jan 21, 2026?
When is Iridium NTN Direct expected to enter beta and commercial service for IRDM?
How was the Iridium NTN Direct test executed according to Iridium (IRDM)?
What use cases does Iridium say Iridium NTN Direct will support for IRDM shareholders?
What benefit does Iridium claim NTN Direct offers mobile network operators (IRDM)?
Does Iridium (IRDM) claim global coverage with NTN Direct and how?
