Apple’s looming space partner Globalstar is showing evidence of a massive acceleration in its space ambitions, rushing to revive a long-dormant filing for an out-of-this-world constellation as SpaceX finally imprisons the multibillion-dollar spectrum deal it needs to make its direct-to-cell service more like 4G LTE.
A second constellation, beyond Apple-backed C‑3
Globalstar confirmed that it is pursuing rights associated with a system called HIBLEO‑XL‑1, an application filed through France for as many as 3,080 low‑Earth orbit satellites. That plan would supplement Globalstar’s C‑3 program, a next‑generation network of 48 LEO satellites funded with over $1 billion from Apple to enhance iPhone satellite features and other mobile services.
HIBLEO‑XL‑1 isn’t just about quantity. The filing would add more orbital shells and frequency bands as well as feeder‑link spectrum to move data between space and ground on top of Globalstar’s existing L-, S- and C-band allocations. That’s the combination that, in practice, would serve to increase capacity, reduce latency and enhance uniformity of coverage for direct‑to‑device connections.
Globalstar does not outline funding, architecture or deployment cadence, but the point is evident: densify the network and broaden its spectral toolkit so that phone-grade links can scale from emergency messaging to sparse-data experiences.
SpaceX’s spectrum play ups the ante
Globalstar’s move comes on the heels of SpaceX announcing a nearly $17 billion deal to acquire radio spectrum from EchoStar, which could supercharge Starlink in its direct-to-cell roadmap with partner carriers. Today, Starlink’s cellular service — it’s in a pilot with T‑Mobile — supports satellite messaging and low volumes of app data in dead zones; the additional spectrum is supposed to nudge it toward LTE-like performance.
Getting there isn’t trivial. SpaceX will also require new satellite payloads optimized for the bands it acquired, as well as support inside future smartphone chipsets. That multi-year lift creates a window for competitors — but also sets a technology bar that Globalstar can’t ignore.
Spectrum is the true battlefield
Space capacity is becoming spectrum bound on Earth. Globalstar now uses about 25.75 MHz in its essential bands. If it could secure coexistence or leasing arrangements where incumbents already operate, industry analysts estimate that the successful HIBLEO‑XL‑1 rights and related sharing could increase Globalstar’s usable spectrum by nearly fivefold.
That’s the catch. Sections of the bands are snarled by players like Viasat, Thuraya, AST SpaceMobile and EchoStar. Without sharing deals in place, the paper rights Globalstar holds might be hard to turn into service on a mass scale. Coordination will flow through the International Telecommunication Union’s processes and national regulators including the F.C.C. and European authorities, where coexistence, interference thresholds and priority rules determine who gets what when.
In other words, the way spectrum policy gets made — not just rockets and satellites — will determine how quickly direct-to-device networks develop and how many providers can offer robust, phone-grade services in the same skies.
Chips, standards, and getting into phones
Spectrum and spacecraft aside, the handset is the gatekeeper. The standard that the 3GPP have recently set for Non‑Terrestrial Networks in Release 17 is how your garden-variety cellular waveform can get from a satellite to a phone. Yet silicon support is not always consistent: some smartphone vendors are incorporating NTN into their roadmaps, others are dabbling with proprietary methods.
Apple has already promoted satellite messaging and emergency features as a headline capability, and recently extended free access for iPhone users. In the meantime, an early Qualcomm ally for satellite messaging changed course and MediaTek subsequently advocated direct‑to‑device trials with module makers and regionals. The trajectory is clear: more native NTN support in mainstream chipsets, which will be critical if Globalstar and others want to make the jump from niche feature to mass‑market connectivity.
Your network design choices are going to matter
If Globalstar scales to the thousands of spacecraft, architecture choices are strategic. You would have to be less reliant on ground gateways than Globalstar has been in the past (Globalstar’s architecture did not impose the same forward-link latency as an Iridium-style system, but a denser, multiple-shell constellation with more extensive feeder links makes different demands on gateways, and spectrum backhaul, and interference management.)
There will also be close scrutiny of procedures designed to help prevent collisions and reduce debris. Regulators and scientists are examining the effect of megaconstellations on Earth’s orbital neighborhood. A plan that only increases satellite numbers must show responsible end‑of‑life and autonomous maneuvering activities—activities where SpaceX, OneWeb, and others have established emerging best practices.
What this means for Apple users
Because the experience doesn’t change very much overnight for consumers in the near term. Once again we’re seeing iPhone satellite features that cater to messaging and safety in coverage gaps. The medium‑term payoff here is wider app‑level data that just works behind the scenes, so maps, messaging and urgent notifications work wherever you happen to be – without weird add-ons.
Whether that roads through Globalstar first, Space’s direct‑to‑cell onboard aircraft or some combination thereof will depend on spectrum deals, launch cadence and handset integration. But the trend is clear: space-based connectivity is zooming from lifeline to lifeline-plus, and Globalstar’s resurfaced filing appears to signal its intention to be in that room at the end.