Viasat and Space42 have signed a binding agreement to establish Equatys, a shared satellite and ground infrastructure venture for direct-to-device and advanced mobile satellite services, with up to $1 billion in planned founder equity.
Direct-to-device satellite connectivity is increasingly being treated less as a standalone satellite service and more as an extension of terrestrial mobile networks. That transition creates a different infrastructure problem: rather than simply putting more satellites into orbit, operators must find ways to share capacity, coordinate spectrum and integrate non-terrestrial networks with existing mobile infrastructure without forcing every participant to build its own constellation.
Viasat and Space42 are taking that shared-infrastructure approach with Equatys. The two companies have signed a binding agreement to formally establish the venture, which is intended to provide a neutral satellite and ground-network layer that can be used by multiple mobile and satellite operators.
A tower-company model applied to space
The most distinctive aspect of Equatys is not simply its planned constellation, but its commercial architecture. Viasat and Space42 are adapting the tower-company model used extensively in terrestrial cellular networks, where operators share physical infrastructure while retaining their own spectrum rights, customers and commercial relationships.
Equatys is designed to perform a similar role for non-terrestrial networks. Licensed operators could use common satellites and ground infrastructure rather than deploying separate systems. The model is also intended to remain open to additional satellite operators and spectrum holders.
This is an important distinction from D2D strategies built around a vertically integrated constellation and service. In practical terms, Equatys is attempting to separate ownership and operation of the underlying space infrastructure from the services delivered over it. If successfully implemented, that structure could allow regional operators or spectrum holders to participate in satellite D2D without taking on the economics and operational complexity of deploying an independent constellation.
Up to $1 billion in founder equity
Upon formation of Equatys, Viasat and Space42 each plan to contribute $400 million in equity. Space42 expects to add another $200 million during a future funding round that would also be open to third-party investors, bringing the founders’ potential combined contribution to $1 billion.
The venture is also expected to use third-party equity and debt financing as the system develops. Viasat is expected to become Equatys’ prime technology contractor once the company is formally established.
The initial satellite deployment would form the first stage of an architecture capable of scaling to as many as 2,800 satellites across 60 orbital planes and three altitude layers. Rather than requiring a fundamental redesign as capacity requirements increase, the architecture is intended to support progressive densification.
Why the architecture matters for IoT
Equatys is being built around 3GPP non-terrestrial-network standards and is intended to connect conventional smartphones, IoT devices and other terminals directly to satellites. Viasat and Space42 say they collectively have commercial relationships with more than 400 mobile operators and technical access to more than 100 MHz of globally coordinated mobile satellite service spectrum.
For IoT deployments, the shared model could be particularly relevant where terrestrial coverage is intermittent rather than completely absent. Logistics assets, vehicles, infrastructure monitoring equipment and other mobile or remote devices could potentially use the same operator relationship across terrestrial and satellite coverage instead of relying on a separate satellite communications architecture.
The broader implication is that satellite connectivity could increasingly become an infrastructure option available behind a cellular service rather than a separate connectivity stack selected at device level. That would shift part of the integration burden away from OEMs and enterprises toward mobile operators, satellite operators and connectivity platforms managing terrestrial-to-NTN service continuity.
That transition remains dependent on deployment, regulatory approvals and the completion of Equatys’ formation. The constellation procurement and associated definitive agreements are also still subject to closing conditions. But the binding agreement and funding framework move the project beyond an architectural concept and toward the capital-intensive phase required to turn shared NTN infrastructure into an operational network.
The post Viasat and Space42 Commit Up to $1 Billion to Shared D2D Satellite Platform Equatys appeared first on IoT Business News.
