Equatys gets up to $1 billion for direct-to-device satellites
Space42 and Viasat signed a binding agreement on September 14, 2026 to establish Equatys, a shared satellite and ground network for direct-to-device mobile connectivity. The companies plan combined equity commitments of up to USD1 billion after the venture is formed.
The size of the commitment is important for the satellite industry. For travelers, the immediate answer is simpler: Equatys is not a consumer phone plan, Roaming eSIM plan or live satellite service. No traveler can buy or activate it today.
The traveler answer: Equatys may eventually let participating mobile operators extend voice, text and data beyond their ground networks. The announcement does not name a retail carrier list, supported countries, phones, prices or a public start date. A Roaming eSIM remains a current option for ordinary travel data on listed terrestrial networks.
What Space42 and Viasat have agreed
The September agreement moves Equatys beyond the earlier study and planning stage, but several steps still have to happen.
| Agreement term | Confirmed position on September 15 |
|---|---|
| Initial founders | Space42 and Viasat |
| Planned founder equity | USD400 million from each company after formation |
| Possible later contribution | Another USD200 million from Space42 in a future funding round |
| Total described commitment | Up to USD1 billion |
| Viasat role | Expected prime technology contractor after formation |
| Venture status | Formation, procurement and related agreements remain subject to closing conditions and regulatory approvals |
The words up to and upon formation matter. The announcement is a funding framework tied to a venture that still has conditions to complete. It is not evidence that USD1 billion has already been paid or that a finished constellation is operating.
Equatys would supply infrastructure to mobile operators
Equatys is designed as a neutral shared platform. The proposed model is similar to a tower company: several licensed operators could use common infrastructure while keeping their own spectrum rights, customers and commercial relationships.
The companies say the architecture could eventually scale to 2,800 satellites across 60 orbital planes and three altitude layers. It is being designed around 3GPP non-terrestrial network standards, using more than 100MHz of coordinated mobile satellite spectrum available to the founders.
Those figures describe the planned infrastructure. They do not tell a traveler which handset will connect, which carrier will sell access or how much usable data a future plan will include.
There is no Equatys plan to buy yet
The agreement does not publish the fields needed for a real travel decision:
- participating consumer mobile operators;
- launch countries or territorial coverage;
- a firm public service date;
- eligible phone models and software versions;
- plan prices, allowances or fair-use rules;
- voice, text, emergency and app support;
- hotspot availability;
- indoor, vehicle, sea or inflight operation; or
- a support and refund process.
The National reported that Space42 managing director Karim Sabbagh expects service to be available from 2029. That is a company executive's reported expectation, not a retail launch date or a guarantee that every market will start together.
A Roaming eSIM will not automatically unlock Equatys
A Roaming eSIM profile stores a mobile subscription digitally. Direct-to-device satellite access is a separate network entitlement. A phone can support embedded SIM profiles and still have no access to Equatys.
If the network launches as planned, a participating carrier would still need the relevant licence, a commercial agreement, compatible network systems and a customer offer. The phone would need supported radio hardware and software. Country regulators would also control local availability.
Buying a Roaming eSIM plan cannot create those missing rights. Travelers should ignore future claims that a digital SIM profile connects to Equatys unless the selected plan and carrier explicitly publish that entitlement.
Satellite fallback and travel data solve different problems
Equatys is intended to extend a carrier's reach where terrestrial service is absent or thin. Roaming eSIM packages use existing terrestrial partner networks for everyday data during a trip.
| Travel decision | Future Equatys-enabled service | Roaming eSIM today |
|---|---|---|
| Can a traveler buy it now? | No consumer offer has been announced | Live plans can be compared before travel |
| Who sets the plan terms? | A future participating mobile operator | The selected package shows its current retail terms |
| Main role | Extend coverage beyond or around ground networks | Supply ordinary mobile data on listed ground networks |
| Country list | Not published | Shown on the selected country, regional or global page |
| Price and allowance | Not published | Shown before checkout |
| Satellite access | Planned infrastructure, subject to later carrier offers | Not advertised by current Roaming eSIM plans |
🏆 Roaming eSIM wins on availability and buying clarity today: the traveler can choose a live destination, see a starting retail price and compare current packages. Equatys may become a valuable carrier fallback, but the September agreement does not yet provide a product to compare or purchase.
Roaming eSIM is not an emergency or satellite service. It needs a listed terrestrial partner network, so offline maps, tickets and contact details still belong in the travel plan.
Compare current global options by the actual route
Roaming eSIM's public catalog listed a Global 120 Areas eSIM with nine package choices starting at USD8.90 when checked on September 15. The separate Global139 eSIM listed six package choices starting at USD15.20.
The larger name or country count does not automatically make one plan better. Open the coverage list and confirm every stop, then compare allowance, validity, activation and the current checkout total. Neither product page advertises Equatys satellite access.
Ten questions travelers are asking about direct-to-device service
When will Equatys work for travelers?
No firm consumer launch date is published. A Space42 executive told The National that service is expected from 2029, but carrier and country launches could follow different schedules.
Is Equatys a Roaming eSIM plan?
No. It is planned shared satellite and ground infrastructure for licensed operators. Embedded SIM technology is one possible way a carrier stores a subscription on a phone, not the satellite network itself.
Will my current phone work with Equatys?
That is not confirmed. The September agreement refers to smartphones and 3GPP standards but does not publish supported models, radio bands or software requirements.
Which mobile carriers will offer Equatys service?
No retail carrier list has been announced. Space42 and Viasat say they have commercial relationships with more than 400 mobile operators, but a relationship is not proof that an operator has joined Equatys.
Which countries will have Equatys coverage?
No consumer country list is available. Spectrum rights, licences, satellite coverage and carrier participation all affect where service can be sold.
Will Equatys support voice calls and text messages?
The planned infrastructure is intended to support voice, text and data. Actual functions will depend on the future carrier plan, phone, local approval and deployed network capacity.
Can Equatys make emergency calls?
The announcement does not confirm an emergency-calling service. Do not depend on Equatys for emergency contact until a named carrier and authority publish the exact country, device and call rules.
How fast will Equatys satellite data be?
No consumer speed, latency, allowance or fair-use figure is published. The planned scale of the constellation does not establish the performance of a future phone plan.
Will Equatys work indoors, in a vehicle or at sea?
Those operating conditions are not specified. Direct-to-device services commonly depend on satellite visibility, but Equatys has not published a consumer coverage or device guide that supports a firm claim.
Will Equatys replace a Roaming eSIM?
Not on the evidence available today. Its planned role is to extend mobile coverage where ground networks are missing or sparse. A Roaming eSIM remains a current tool for ordinary data on supported terrestrial networks.
Equatys direct-to-device sources
The syndicated September 14 company announcement establishes the binding agreement, conditional equity framework, shared-infrastructure model, planned scale and closing conditions. Space42's March 2026 progress release supplies the technical background and earlier venture status. The reported 2029 expectation comes from The National's September 14 interview.
Update policy: We will update this page when Equatys publishes a firm consumer date, participating carriers, countries, phone requirements, retail prices, allowances, speeds, calling, emergency, hotspot or operating conditions.
