en.Wedoany.com Reported - Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) and Mlink Technology Inc. (Mlink), a fabless semiconductor company focused on IoT and satellite communication chipsets, announced that Mlink has begun real-time over-the-air testing of its MS150-IR IoT-NTN chipset using the Iridium NTN Direct service. The MS150-IR is a version of the MS150 chipset series specifically developed for Iridium NTN Direct and is part of Mlink's global IoT-NTN product portfolio.

Mlink has joined the ecosystem of chipset suppliers supporting Iridium NTN Direct, Iridium's 3GPP standards-based non-terrestrial network service. By integrating this service, Mlink's chipsets enable device manufacturers, module makers, and mobile network operators to extend low-power IoT connectivity beyond terrestrial network coverage through a single global satellite platform. The two companies expect to complete certification and achieve product availability by the end of 2026.

Tim Last, Executive Vice President of Iridium, stated that Mlink's progress from lab testing to real-time in-orbit validation on the Iridium network is exciting, demonstrating the technical maturity of both teams and the readiness of Iridium NTN Direct. He looks forward to the MS150-IR chipset receiving certification later this year, providing partners and customers with more standards-compliant global NB-IoT and D2D connectivity options.

Zhiping An, Co-founder and Vice President of Mlink, said that the MS150-IR chipset platform has successfully completed Iridium lab testing and has now entered the over-the-air testing phase. The company has also launched a comprehensive reference design kit to help customers accelerate product development and commercialization. Mlink looks forward to leveraging Iridium NTN Direct to provide customers with high-quality low Earth orbit satellite communication services.

Iridium NTN Direct leverages Iridium's network of 66 cross-linked low Earth orbit satellites and 3GPP standards to deliver low-latency, reliable connectivity with excellent signal penetration on a truly global scale. The service is designed for IoT applications, including asset tracking, logistics, utilities, agriculture, automotive, industrial monitoring, and remote infrastructure, extending connectivity to areas where terrestrial coverage is unavailable, limited, or unreliable.

For chipset suppliers, module manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers, and mobile network operators, Iridium NTN Direct reduces the technical and commercial barriers to integrating satellite connectivity into existing products and networks, without the need for additional ground infrastructure. The service enables partners to expand coverage, enhance resilience, and support new connected device applications using globally recognized standards. Mlink's progress adds to Iridium's growing list of chipset partners, further strengthening the momentum for Iridium NTN Direct's commercial launch in 2026.

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