Lynk and Omnispace Merge to Form Elveo Mobile for Global D2D Connectivity
The Washington, DC-based entity combines spectrum rights and satellite heritage to challenge Starlink and AST SpaceMobile.
Satellite operators Lynk Global and Omnispace completed a merger on August 14, 2026, to establish Elveo Mobile. The new company aims to provide global direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity for smartphones and IoT devices using a multi-orbit satellite architecture.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, and led by CEO Ramu Potarazu, Elveo Mobile enters the market with an immediate orbital footprint of nine satellites. This includes six low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites from Lynk, alongside two LEO and one medium-Earth orbit (MEO) satellite from Omnispace. To scale operations, the company is targeting a full constellation of 320 LEO satellites, with deployment scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027 and commercial services expected to launch by early 2028.
The D2D Connectivity Race
The merger arrives as the industry races to provide cellular connectivity to standard smartphones without requiring specialized hardware. By combining Lynk’s operational history of two-way satellite-to-phone connections with Omnispace’s extensive S-band spectrum rights, Elveo Mobile positions itself as a primary challenger to established players such as AST SpaceMobile and SpaceX's Starlink Mobile.
Technically, the company utilizes 60MHz of S-band MSS spectrum. It supports 2G, 4G, 5G, and IoT standards through 3GPP non-terrestrial network (NTN) standards. This multi-orbit strategy—spanning LEO, MEO, and GEO—provides a flexible architecture that may reduce the total number of satellites and ground stations required compared to constellations relying solely on LEO.
Strategic Market Positioning
Unlike some competitors that may clash with traditional telecom providers, Elveo Mobile is positioning itself as a roaming partner for mobile network operators (MNOs). CEO Ramu Potarazu has explicitly stated that the company will not compete with MNOs, aiming instead to integrate directly into existing telecom ecosystems. This strategy is already reflected in the company's commercial pipeline, which includes 56 contracts with MNOs and distribution partners across more than 60 countries.
Potarazu described the company's approach as being "the old player that's rebuilding and rewriting D2D," signaling a desire to leverage existing industry heritage while modernizing the technical delivery of satellite connectivity.
Future Outlook
Industry observers will now watch for the successful deployment of the 320-satellite LEO constellation starting in late 2027. The primary metric for success will be the company's ability to convert its 56 existing partner contracts into active commercial services by the 2028 launch window. While the technical foundation is set via 3GPP standards, the scale of the rollout will determine if Elveo can effectively disrupt the current D2D hierarchy.