Turkcell and Sateliot complete first satellite 5G IoT demo in Türkiye

Turkish telecommunications company Turkcell and Spanish satellite operator Sateliot announced on Friday that they have successfully conducted a field demonstration of 5G Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) connectivity using satellite technology.

Seamless integration of satellite and cellular networks

The demonstration, carried out during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, integrated Sateliot’s low-Earth orbit satellite network with Turkcell’s terrestrial mobile infrastructure. This allows IoT devices to switch between cellular and satellite coverage without any service interruption. The companies stated that this marks the first commercial demonstration of satellite-enabled 5G NB-IoT connectivity by a Turkish mobile operator, highlighting the potential to extend coverage to remote and underserved areas where terrestrial infrastructure is limited.

Applications in agriculture, logistics, and disaster response

The integration enables standard cellular devices to operate across both mobile and satellite networks without requiring additional hardware. The technology could support various sectors including agriculture, logistics, energy, and emergency management by providing continuous connectivity outside conventional network coverage. The system may also help maintain communications during power outages and natural disasters. Sateliot COO Gianluca Redolfi said: “This project demonstrates that satellite connectivity can be seamlessly integrated with the mobile network. For the end user, it means that cellular IoT devices continue to function in both mobile and satellite networks.” Turkcell’s chief network technologies officer Vehbi Çağrı Güngör added that the collaboration reaffirms the company’s commitment to innovation and digitalization of strategic sectors in Türkiye. Türkiye continues to advance its technological infrastructure, positioning itself as a regional leader in next-generation connectivity solutions.