Luxembourg’s OQ Technology to test C-band satellite connectivity for smartphones
Luxembourg spacetech OQ Technology has secured a €25 million venture debt loan through the European Investment Bank, to rolling out its space-connectivity network.
26/02/2026
A direct connection between a satellite and a smartphone ? – this is what OQ Technology allows.
The European Investment Bank has supported this new technology today with €25 million in venture debt financing. A technology that makes an important contribution to European digital sovereignty.
The investment will help the company expand research and launch a constellation of low-Earth-orbit satellites designed to deliver 5G and direct-to-device connectivity — enabling IoT devices and ordinary smartphones to connect directly to space without special hardware. More than 20 software-defined, multi-band satellites are planned as part of the rollout.
The company has already achieved several milestones, including early demonstrations of cellular IoT links from space and, in 2025, a direct-to-device emergency message sent to standard smartphones. The new financing will speed up completion of its initial constellation and scale commercial services such as messaging and voice from space.
