Tele2 IoT has teamed up with Skylo Technologies to launch a Global Satellite IoT Connectivity service, marking a significant leap for Swedish telecom innovation.

This move positions Tele2 as the first operator in Sweden to provide a commercial, 3GPP-compliant direct-to-device satellite IoT solution—and that’s a big deal for industries operating beyond standard mobile coverage zones.

Connectivity That Reaches Where Mobile Can’t

The new service bridges one of the last great gaps in IoT connectivity: remote and hard-to-reach areas. By integrating Skylo’s Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) technology, Tele2 IoT customers can keep their devices online even when terrestrial networks drop off.

Devices automatically switch between cellular and satellite coverage without needing extra hardware—an elegant solution for sectors like agriculture, logistics, energy, infrastructure, and maritime, where uptime directly impacts performance and profit.

Key benefits include:

• Continuous connectivity, even in areas without mobile coverage.
• Seamless network switching between terrestrial and satellite.
• Improved operational visibility and reduced downtime.

“Connectivity Should Work Everywhere”

“At Tele2 IoT, we believe connectivity should work everywhere,” said Stefan Trampus, EVP B2B at Tele2. “By partnering with Skylo, we’re removing the final coverage gaps and ensuring our customers’ devices stay online – whether at sea, in rural terrain, or other remote locations. This launch is an important step in our ambition to deliver reliable, simple, and global IoT connectivity.”

From Skylo’s side, Simon Glassman, Senior Manager for EMEA Business Development, echoed that sentiment:

“We’re proud to partner with Tele2 to bring the world’s largest commercially available satellite network to their globally focused customer base. This partnership opens new business models and insights for industries leveraging NTN technology.”

A Strategic Move in the Global IoT Race

Tele2’s entry into satellite IoT isn’t happening in isolation—it’s part of a much bigger shift across the telecom landscape. As 5G coverage nears its physical limits, satellite IoT is emerging as the next frontier for global connectivity. Players like Vodafone (with AST SpaceMobile), Deutsche Telekom (with Intelsat), and Telefonica (with Sateliot) are all investing heavily in hybrid IoT systems that merge terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks.

What sets Tele2 apart is its pragmatic, partnership-driven approach. Rather than building satellite capacity from scratch, it’s leveraging Skylo’s 3GPP-compliant NTN infrastructure to deliver immediate, commercially viable results. That’s faster to market, and more scalable—a smart strategy for operators that serve industries requiring constant uptime.

According to GSMA Intelligence, global IoT connections are expected to surpass 38 billion by 2030, with non-terrestrial networks accounting for an increasingly vital share, particularly in logistics and environmental monitoring. However, one ongoing challenge remains: cost and energy efficiency. Many current satellite IoT solutions still struggle to balance global coverage with affordability and device battery life—issues that Tele2 and Skylo’s integration will be closely watched for.

The Bottom Line

Tele2’s launch isn’t just another incremental product release—it’s a statement that the future of IoT connectivity will not be limited by geography. With Skylo as its partner, Tele2 positions itself among the European leaders in direct-to-device satellite IoT, rivaling initiatives by Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom, but doing so with a notably leaner and faster go-to-market model.

As IoT applications grow in scale and complexity, especially across industries that operate far from cities and cell towers, the operators who can guarantee “always-on” coverage—anywhere on Earth—will win the next phase of connectivity.