ST Engineering iDirect

Hot Springs – October 29, 2026 -- Verizon Frontline displayed six categories of deployable connectivity assets at the 2026 Central States Communications Exercise in Hot Springs, Arkansas, many of them powered by ST Engineering iDirect technology.

Exercise gives agencies hands-on time with communications gear

The exercise brings local, state, tribal and federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations together with technology providers. Participants test capabilities in realistic scenarios rather than watching demonstrations. They also learn from emergency communications professionals who have supported real-world incidents and look for interoperability gaps across networks, equipment and operating procedures.

Verizon Frontline fields assets from private 5G to off-road vehicles

The showcased assets were built to restore and extend connectivity during emergencies:

United Kingdom – October 29, 2026 -- Marconi Technologies is combining its Hunter tactical SATCOM terminals, including a sub-25-pound ULV manpack, with ST Engineering iDirect modem technology to supply defence forces with multi-orbit connectivity that keeps working under jamming and network degradation.

Hunter terminals cover four bands and five satellite networks

The Hunter family supports quad-band operation across X, C, Ku and Ka bands. It is compatible with WGS, SkyNet, Inmarsat GX, SES Flex and GovSat. Carbon fibre construction cuts weight while keeping the structure stable in extreme conditions. The range runs from the ULV manpack to the larger FA-370 platform.

Global – October 29, 2026 -- Some 88% of 350 telecom decision-makers surveyed plan to increase spending on satellite technologies over the next five years, according to research commissioned by ST Engineering iDirect, which is promoting hybrid architectures as the fastest route to 5G non-terrestrial network (NTN) deployment.

Survey of 350 executives across seven markets shows broad satcom backing

The global survey covered mobile network operators, infrastructure providers and cloud service companies. Some 95% called satcom essential or important to seamless global connectivity, and 93% expect satellite to play a bigger role in their business.

Expanding coverage ranks high on the agenda: 22% named 5G expansion as their biggest technology focus for the next 12 months, and 19% already see 5G NTN as a future growth opportunity.

Global – October 29, 2026 -- Ninety-three percent of 350 senior telecom decision-makers surveyed globally by ST Engineering iDirect expect satellite to play a bigger role in their networks, and 88% plan to increase investment over the next five years.

Around 94% already classify satellite as essential or important to network strategy, and 85% highlight the importance of partnerships with satellite providers, according to the research cited by Shravan K Gaddam, VP Engineering in the company's CTO Office.

Operators want satellite to run inside the existing 5G core

Gaddam argues that operators do not want another network. They want 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTN) to reuse 5G core functions such as authentication, billing and policy control, and to deliver consistent service whether connectivity is terrestrial or satellite. Siloed systems with different operational models do not scale as networks grow more complex, he says.

Global – October 28, 2026 -- ST Engineering iDirect SVP Brian Jakins argues that sovereignty, multi-orbit resilience and open ecosystems, not satellite count, will decide who leads satellite communications in the next decade.

More than 120 mobile operators now partner with satellite players, yet customers still struggle to get capacity

Jakins says customers in Asia, LATAM and the Middle East keep asking why capacity is so hard to obtain when GEO, MEO and LEO supply is greater than ever. He cites mega-constellation launches, Europe's IRIS2 moving into production and Amazon Leo scaling up. By his account, customers want less complexity, not more connectivity.

Global – October 27, 2026 -- Governments are demanding full control over their satellite communication mission stacks rather than just access to capacity, according to a panel hosted by ST Engineering iDirect. Speakers from the company and PA Consulting said sovereignty is shifting toward assurance and resilience.

Control outweighs ownership in national SATCOM programs

Alison Grey, Associate Partner at PA Consulting, said full end-to-end in-country ownership is unrealistic for most nations. The practical goal is assured access, control and resilience. Keith Blanchet, Vice President, Global Government at ST Engineering iDirect, defined sovereignty as resiliency, sovereign control and interoperability, the last being essential for coalition operations.

United Kingdom – October 27, 2026 -- ST Engineering iDirect's 450SDM software-defined modem is 30% smaller than its predecessor, and Paradigm is integrating it into its PIM-based tactical terminals for government and defense users, according to Paradigm founder Ulf Sandberg.

PIM architecture links iDirect modems to lightweight terminals

Paradigm's Paradigm Interface Module (PIM) integrates the iDirect 950mp and the new 450SDM into a single platform, yielding the PIM950 and PIM450 configurations. Users can switch between software-defined profiles at the touch of a button. Sandberg said the 450SDM's compact form factor suits lightweight systems such as the backpack-ready RAGNO terminal, and that it supports multi-orbit and multi-waveform operation. The single-case HORNET terminal uses the same approach.

Munich – October 27, 2026 -- ST Engineering iDirect will hold its Defence Technology Day in Munich on June 10, and a new podcast from the company previews the satellite communications (SATCOM) topics on the agenda.

Dave Davis, Senior Technical Director of Global Government at ST Engineering iDirect, hosts the discussion. His guests are Joey Williamson of Airbus Defence and Space and Henry Nelson of Marconi Technologies UK, formerly Ultra I&C.

Ukraine war and LEO constellations change how governments buy SATCOM

The panel examines how geopolitical tensions have shifted SATCOM demand. It cites the war in Ukraine and the rise of low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations as the two developments that changed how governments approach satellite communications.

Munich – October 27, 2026 -- More than 100 military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) leaders gathered in Munich for ST Engineering iDirect's biennial Defence Technology Day, where speakers agreed that European sovereign networks must be built to withstand cyberattacks, jamming and physical damage from the outset. Defence agencies, operators, integrators and technology partners attended, and 12 partners exhibited.

Ukrainian officer: resilience cannot be retrofitted

Major Andrii Kovalchuk of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said modern SATCOM systems must survive cyberattacks, radio frequency interference and infrastructure damage at the same time. Speakers throughout the day echoed that resilience has to be embedded in architectures, terminals, waveforms, operational planning and procurement decisions.

Global – October 27, 2026 -- ST Engineering iDirect expects its new Foresight AI platform to cut network operations center (NOC) workload by up to 60% and shrink mean time to repair from hours to minutes, according to the company's input to the World Teleport Association (WTA) report "The AI-Driven Teleport."

Foresight KPI gains are projections, not measured results

Shanthakumar Ramakrishnan, Sr. Director of Engineering, said the figures draw on industry benchmarks, operational analysis and Foresight's developing capabilities. The company has run AI proofs-of-concept in network operations, service assurance and service orchestration. It reports the most measurable value in predictive maintenance, anomaly detection and closed-loop automation.