A Russian private company has begun developing a satellite system that will allow smartphones to access the network without ground infrastructure. The Sputniks Group of Companies is designing D2C (Direct-to-Cell) communications spacecraft that will provide direct data transmission to phones, the organization's press service told TASS.
At the end of March 2026, the State Commission for Radio Frequencies had already allocated frequency bands to Sputniks and Byuro 1440 for testing the "smartphone-satellite" technology. The new spacecraft will complement the company's current developments in ultra-high-resolution satellites and radar systems.
The technical parameters of the future constellation have not yet been disclosed, but the very direction indicates an ambition to occupy a niche dominated by the American company Starlink.
Direct connection of mobile devices to orbital infrastructure removes dependence on cellular towers in remote areas. For Russia, with its vast expanse and weak coverage along highways and at resource deposits, this means a fundamentally different level of connectivity. The parallel work of two private players on D2C creates a competitive environment, accelerating the deployment of a domestic analogue of global satellite internet for the mass user.
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