Altair Semiconductor Adds Iridium NTN Direct Support to Cellular IoT Chipsets

Altair Semiconductor is integrating Iridium NTN Direct satellite connectivity into its ALT1350 and ALT1550 cellular IoT chipsets, enabling device manufacturers to combine terrestrial mobile and satellite communications without requiring a separate satellite modem.

The integration will allow compatible devices to access Iridium's existing LEO satellite constellation when terrestrial coverage is unavailable. Iridium NTN Direct uses globally coordinated L-band spectrum and is designed around 3GPP standards-based NB-IoT and direct-to-device connectivity, providing a common technical foundation for satellite and cellular services.

The ALT1350 targets low-power LTE-M and NB-IoT applications, including asset tracking, logistics, smart metering, agriculture, industrial monitoring and vehicle telematics. The next-generation ALT1550 extends the approach to 5G enhanced Reduced Capability (eRedCap) devices, potentially supporting satellite connectivity in wearables, smart glasses and AI-enabled consumer electronics.

By incorporating NTN functionality directly into cellular chipsets, Altair aims to reduce hardware complexity, power consumption and integration costs for manufacturers developing hybrid connectivity products. The partnership also expands Iridium's chipset ecosystem, allowing more device and module suppliers to support its satellite network through existing cellular IoT architectures.