With its fellow central Asian neighbour, Kazakhstan, rushing ahead with advanced communications encompassing fibre, 5G and space, Uzbekistan has entered the room with an in-country, first-of-its-kind, direct-to-device (D2D) demonstration of satellite-powered messaging over a Viasat craft.
Working with the Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, UZ-SAT, and the national telecom operator, Uztelecom, the demo showed the operator sharing native SMS messages between commercially available Android smartphones over satellite.
Putting the project into context, Viasat said D2D is a growing communications technology that allows everyday devices such as mobile phones, vehicles and internet of things (IoT) products to connect to satellites, without the need for dedicated satellite terminals.
Viasat added that it believes the deployment of D2D will be a game changer for consumers and industrial IoT, reducing the barrier to digital transformation by unlocking always-on communications in previously disconnected regions.
The technology follows global mobile 3GPP release standards, which are being actively adopted by satellite operators, mobile network operators, and chipset and original equipment manufacturers.
The satellite demo comes just as Uzbekistan has launched 228 industrial projects worth €13bn across 2026, with the demo showcasing the potential for D2D connectivity to drive productivity, safety and operational efficiency across key industrial sectors, supporting the country’s wider industrial ambitions as it looks to grow GDP to €220-230bn by 2030.
The demo aimed to showcase the potential for satellites to expand connectivity to cell phones, vehicles and industrial IoT devices in the vast double-landlocked country. Viasat used its existing satellite fleet with dedicated Mobile Satellite Services spectrum, enabling the company to work with mobile network operators and ecosystem suppliers to provide services without sacrificing terrestrial spectrum or interfering with cellular networks.
The demo also showcased smartphones sending and receiving messages over Viasat’s L-band satellite network using 3GPP non-terrestrial network standards. In a country first, application-based messages were shared across two mass-market Android smartphones, with one connected via satellite using a companion device, and the other to a traditional terrestrial cellular network.
Sandeep Moorthy, senior vice-president of advanced non-terrestrial solutions at Viasat, said: “Countries emerging as technology leaders like the Republic of Uzbekistan are rightly excited about the potential for non-terrestrial networks.
“Through standards-based satellite connectivity, we can bring connectivity to millions more devices in areas currently underserved by cellular networks, with benefits for safety, sustainability and efficiency. We are delighted to be showcasing this potential with the ministry and UZ-SAT, and would like to thank them for their continued collaboration.”
Viasat believes the trial underscores the viability of satellite-to-cell phone connectivity and strengthens Viasat’s leadership in this emerging field. In a similar deployment at the end of 2025, Viasat completed a D2D demonstration in Mexico, featuring native SMS messages on a standard smartphone sending and receiving messages over Viasat’s L-band I-4 F3 satellite.
Core infrastructure was delivered by Viasat ecosystem partner Skylo, which used dedicated, licensed mobile satellite spectrum for connectivity to avoid network interference with terrestrial signals, and ensures ubiquitous coverage for customers in rural or rugged areas of Mexico.
Viasat is also working with Space42, the UAE-based AI-powered SpaceTech company, to form Equatys – a jointly held entity – to enable global D2D services and evolve existing mobile satellite services to a 5G network environment.
