Indonesia’s Telkomsat and Space42 Ink 5G D2D NTN Partnership

PT Telkom Satelit Indonesia (Telkomsat) and UAE-based Space42 have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore collaboration on 5G direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity, extending non-terrestrial network (NTN) services across Indonesia and potentially beyond.

The discussions center on Equatys, Space42’s D2D venture with Viasat, which is being built on 3GPP Release 17+ NTN standards and more than 100 MHz of harmonized mobile satellite services (MSS) spectrum. The platform is designed to allow standard smartphones and IoT devices to connect directly to satellites, without additional hardware, enabling seamless handover between terrestrial and satellite networks.

Under the MoU, the companies will assess technical integration, regulatory alignment, and commercial models for D2D services, alongside joint R&D, pilot programs, and field trials. Areas of focus include NTN interoperability with existing 4G/5G networks, service performance benchmarks, and compliance with Indonesian licensing and data-security requirements.

For Telkomsat, the partnership could strengthen satellite’s role in Indonesia’s national connectivity architecture, particularly for remote regions and strategic communications. For Space42, it expands the Equatys ecosystem in Southeast Asia, a priority market for large-scale NTN deployment.

Equatys operates under a shared “space tower” model, positioning itself as a neutral, multi-tenant NTN infrastructure provider serving D2D, IoT, and MSS markets. The Telkomsat engagement signals continued momentum toward commercial 5G-NTN services as operators evaluate satellite-terrestrial convergence at national scale.

SOURCE: https://www.space42.ai/en/press-release/2025/space42-and-telkomsat