Why Satellite Connectivity Sits at the Heart of Enterprise Network Resilience

Until now, satellite technology has been seen as nascent telco innovation; useful in extreme or remote scenarios but separate from most modern mainstream network strategies. But now it is breaking out of this mold and is supporting mobile and fixed connectivity, helping provide coverage that terrestrial networks cannot achieve alone.

It’s a shift that is being driven by the fact that network resilience has become non-negotiable. Today, too many organizations operate with a single high-quality circuit but lack a viable secondary option. This often leads to disrupted operations and customers without the required support. At a macro-level, we need look no further than Portugal and Spain, where both countries experienced simultaneous failures of traditional fixed and mobile networks, to see the value of satellite in keeping services online when ground-based infrastructure fails.

Now is the right time to embrace satellite as part of the business connectivity strategy. Commercial access to space has scaled rapidly; launch costs have fallen, satellites are smaller and cheaper to deploy, and Low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations now deliver lower latency and improved performance. Combined with open standards, such as the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project’s non-terrestrial extensions in 5G, satellites can now integrate directly into existing mobile networks rather than operate alongside them.

This all shows that satellite is ready to move out of the fringes of connectivity and into the mainstream, supporting mission-critical services, modern networks, and helping businesses to maintain always-on communication when primary networks fail.

See also: The Role of Industrial Connectivity in Enabling AI-powered Operations

Extending networks beyond the mast

The headline use case is direct-to-device (D2D), which sees satellites connect standard smartphones to a network even when no mast is nearby. Imagine never losing your data connection and how different life would be. And that’s just the start.

Hyperscale low-bandwidth IoT satellite constellations will soon power remote asset tracking, environmental monitoring, and agricultural telemetry. Broadband LEO constellations already support enterprise sites and field operations, offering resilience or temporary coverage when it’s needed most. Crucially, this aligns with the trends we’re seeing today: enterprises turning to satellite when terrestrial circuits are insufficient or unavailable, and where redundancy must be designed for worst-case scenarios rather than average ones. The numbers back this up, too, with Gartner predicting LEO satellite communications services spending to hit $14.8bn globally in 2026 to increase network resilience.

These new capabilities will become essential to the sectors where downtime is more than inconvenient, where lives are at stake. Emergency and public services need networks that simply cannot go dark, and satellites make this a reality. Satellite can still sit alongside fiber, 5G, and private wireless in one managed framework. Policies, security, and service levels need to remain consistent, so a user moving from terrestrial coverage into open terrain shouldn’t notice a change in connection.

See also: Bridging the Connectivity Gap: Overcoming Legacy Infrastructure and Assets in Industrial Digital Transformation

Network extension, not replacement

As new constellations launch, capacity will rise, and costs will continue to fall, just like the cost of getting to space has. This presents a huge opportunity for businesses to adopt a scalable addition to their network infrastructure where downtime is a distant memory.

Performance transparency remains key. Satellite is a finite resource; it is not a connectivity panacea. It can’t, and won’t, replace terrestrial bandwidth or urban coverage. Rather, it extends the reach of this infrastructure to the absolute edge. Direct-to-device fills gaps where masts cannot go. The goal isn’t to overpromise – it’s to make resilience and reach standard features of enterprise networks.

See also: More Devices Available: 5G and Wireless Device Market Keeps Growing, Growing, and Growing

What this means for connectivity

Overall, satellite’s role in the telecoms industry is being redefined. Rather than sitting outside the network, it is becoming an integrated layer of connectivity, extending coverage and providing network resilience where terrestrial infrastructure cannot reach or be trusted.

Adoption is accelerating fast in mission critical and remote operations, where resilience is crucial. Advances in LEO constellations, combined with native integration into 5G networks, mean satellite connectivity can now be delivered with low latency and minimal friction.

Crucially, satellite should not be deployed in isolation. Its real value comes when it operates as part of a single, unified network alongside fiber, 5G, and private wireless, extending reach, redundancy, and reliability rather than attempting to replace terrestrial infrastructure. For direct-to-device, the goal is simple: keep people connected wherever they are, especially when connectivity becomes a critical lifeline.