Viasat has joined Bridge Alliance as a Technology Partner, establishing a collaboration to support the integration of satellite connectivity into mobile networks across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. The agreement will allow Viasat to engage with the alliance's member operators on potential non-terrestrial network (NTN) services for consumers, enterprises and government customers.
Bridge Alliance brings together mobile network operators across multiple international markets, providing a framework for cooperation on network technologies, roaming and service development. Through the partnership, Viasat aims to extend its satellite communications capabilities into the alliance's mobile ecosystem, particularly in areas where terrestrial coverage is unavailable or unreliable.
Viasat already supports satellite connectivity for more than 10 million handsets in North America and is developing additional NTN applications, including direct-to-device communications and satellite connectivity for vehicles. Its recent technical demonstrations include satellite-enabled voice communications in collaboration with BMW, illustrating potential applications beyond emergency messaging and basic consumer connectivity.
The collaboration will focus on opportunities created by 3GPP-based integration of terrestrial and satellite networks. Initial satellite-to-mobile applications have largely centred on emergency SOS and messaging, while future 5G NR-NTN capabilities could enable more advanced services, including improved mobility and roaming between terrestrial and satellite coverage. These developments could allow mobile operators to incorporate satellite connectivity into existing customer offerings without relying on entirely separate service ecosystems.