Space42, the UAE-based AI-powered SpaceTech company with global reach, recently announced successful testing of Direct-to-Device (D2D) SMS and SOS services on standard devices in the UAE, in partnership with Skylo Technologies, a leading global Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) service provider. The testing was conducted between a standard Android smartphone and a satellite messaging device, confirming two-way connectivity through Thuraya-4, Space42’s next-generation mobile communications satellite.
Integration via Skylo’s 3GPP-compliant NTN platform ensures that no additional hardware is required to support connection. The demonstration validates the potential for D2D messaging services in the UAE and Thuraya-4 wider footprint, advancing Space42’s role within the national telecommunication ecosystem.
Ali Al Hashmi, CEO of Space Services at Space42, said, “The focus on Direct-to-Device capability forms the core of our strategy to become a global leader in Non-Terrestrial Networks. The successful test with Skylo proves that Thuraya-4 is equipped to provide carrier-grade, resilient messaging directly to devices, extending access to enterprises, governments, mobile operators, and consumers. This achievement further reflects a working model of the ecosystem approach we are building within the NTN industry, to make universal, standards-based connectivity a reality.”
Parth Trivedi, CEO and co-founder, Skylo, said, “Standards are what let satellite messaging work on the phone already in your pocket, over the network you already use. With Space42, we’ve validated two-way SMS and SOS on standard Android devices over Thuraya-4 — on 3GPP-compliant NTN platform, without changes to existing operator core infrastructure. A clear step toward commercial service, and a foundation for what comes next.”
For mobile network operators, the test confirms that D2D messages can be delivered through their own SIM and identity framework, without changes to their existing infrastructure. For consumer and enterprise subscribers, it means SMS communication and SOS access anywhere, including areas with limited or no terrestrial coverage such as deserts, mountains, and maritime zones.
Commercial roll out of the D2D messaging services is expected toward the end of the year, conditional to regulatory approvals. Space42 and Skylo are also developing further D2D capabilities on the same 3GPP NTN layer validated through this testing, including location sharing, application and IoT data transmission, and automotive connectivity. Each extends Thuraya-4’s reach to new categories of existing and future smart devices, with roll out scheduled in the near future.
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