Iridium and Altair Semiconductor to integrate satellite into IoT chips

Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) announced that Altair Semiconductor is integrating Iridium NTN Direct capability into its ALT1350 and next-generation ALT1550 IoT chipset platforms, according to a company press release dated Oct. 14, 2026.

The integration combines terrestrial cellular IoT and Iridium satellite connectivity on a single chipset, allowing device manufacturers, module makers, and mobile network operators to extend IoT connectivity beyond terrestrial networks without adding a separate satellite modem.

The ALT1350 chipset targets applications including asset tracking, logistics, smart metering, agriculture, vehicle telematics, and industrial monitoring. The ALT1550 is aimed at 5G eRedCap devices such as smart glasses, AI assistants, and wearables.

Iridium NTN Direct uses the company's low-Earth orbit satellite constellation and globally coordinated L-band spectrum to support NB-IoT and direct-to-device applications based on 3GPP standards.

"Integrating Iridium NTN Direct into Altair's chipsets will enable solutions and applications that require reliable, low-power connectivity beyond the limits of terrestrial networks," said Tim Last, executive vice president at Iridium.

Dima Feldman, VP of Product Management and Marketing at Altair Semiconductor, said the addition of Iridium NTN Direct to its chipsets gives customers greater flexibility in how and where their IoT devices connect.

Iridium is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, and operates a global mobile satellite network serving aviation, maritime, government, industrial, and consumer markets.

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