How do you reach the most remote communities, keep critical networks resilient, and support European sovereignty all at once? For Orange, satellites are becoming a key part of the answer.
At World Space Business Week 2025, we shared our vision for global, hybrid connectivity, built with the right partners to meet the right needs, whether under the sea, on land, or in space.
Satellites boost digital inclusion
There are still places where fiber or mobile coverage alone is not enough. That is where satellites step in to bring high-speed internet, for example through our work in Africa, the Indian Ocean, and across Pacific islands. In Madagascar, Réunion, and Wallis and Futuna, we combine different network layers to keep people connected everywhere and in every situation.
Our approach is straightforward: hybrid is best.
By blending fiber, mobile, satellite, and our Bercenay-en-Othe teleport, we deliver a service that does not depend on population density. Starlink may talk about 5 million customers, but Orange already connects over 291 million people worldwide. Our role is to bring together the right technology for each use, in the right place.
A strategy based on strong partnerships
To deliver on this promise globally, we’re teaming up with leading multi-orbit partners. In Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, we’re working with Eutelsat OneWeb to bring high-speed connections to remote areas. In the Pacific, we co-created the Nuanua project with SES to strengthen connectivity for island communities. And to prepare for the next generation of services, we signed an agreement with Telesat to support its LEO Lightspeed constellation and ground infrastructure
Read more: Orange and Telesat sign a multi-year agreement.
These are not just technology showcases. They are part of our real offers for businesses and wholesale customers, with practical uses like connecting remote sites, securing critical operations, and making sure services continue no matter what.
Championing European digital sovereignty
With more non-European players in the market, Orange is also contributing to a European response.
The European Commission’s IRIS² space program aims to build a secure, interoperable multi-orbit constellation of around 290 satellites by 2030. The goal is to reduce dependence on non-European actors and protect critical infrastructure.
Orange is part of the consortium alongside Airbus, Thales, Eutelsat, SES, Arianespace, and others. Our work focuses on 5G NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks) so that mobile networks can connect directly with satellites.
How innovation leads to new opportunities
Satellites are not just about providing internet services. New uses are developing quickly:
- Direct-to-Cell: to extend mobile coverage via satellite, useful in remote areas or crisis situations.
- Satellite IoT: to track fleets, manage agricultural sensors, or monitor critical infrastructure.
- 5G NTN: to integrate satellites into the core telecom architecture.
For us, it is not about the satellite itself. What matters is how people can use it. We are creating solutions where sea, land, and space work together to deliver stronger, wider, and more secure connectivity.
World Space Business Week: meeting the space ecosystem
From 15 to 19 September 2025, we took part in World Space Business Week, held in Paris.
We shared our vision for useful, sovereign, and truly universal connectivity, and connected with leaders across the space and telecom ecosystems.