Geoff Huston’s ISP Column

D2D

The article revisits the early failure of Iridium’s $5 billion satellite phone venture, attributing its collapse to regulatory pushback and high handset costs. It then outlines how falling launch prices, improved digital signal processing, and new business models have revived interest in direct‑to‑device (D2D) services. Starlink, Amazon LEO (via Globalstar), and AST SpaceMobile each pursue D2D differently—Starlink and Amazon focus on high‑speed broadband with limited mobile capacity, while AST aims for wholesale 4G/5G coverage using massive antennas. The piece questions whether niche mobile‑only satellite markets can justify the massive capital outlay.