"Iridium's Project Stardust: Reviving Satellite-to-Phone Services for 5G Messaging"

Iridium Communications plans to make its low Earth orbit constellation compatible with 5G standards, aiming to enable mass-market smartphones to access messaging and SOS services outside cellular coverage from 2026. This shift follows a failed proprietary-only strategy and involves joining 3GPP to help develop future standards. The company remains open to proprietary partnerships but is focusing on a standardized approach, which could make it easier for device manufacturers to adopt the technology.