At a time when terrestrial and space connectivity are converging, UNIVITY, an operator of space-based connectivity services, and Telespazio France, a European leader in satellite operations and services, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Their objective is to combine their strengths to build a universal and accessible space connectivity offer, from the ground to space. Through this strategic partnership, the two companies bring together space innovation and operational expertise to accelerate the deployment of high-speed internet access, anywhere in the world.
As part of this agreement, Telespazio France will participate in UNIVITY’s test campaigns to evaluate and demonstrate the performance of its solution to civil and defense customers. The ambition is to ultimately integrate UNIVITY’s technology into Telespazio’s service catalog, providing a comprehensive connectivity offer combining ground infrastructures and a Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) constellation.
The global coverage provided by UNIVITY’s future constellation and Telespazio Group’s international presence will make it possible to offer an integrated solution meeting the growing demand for high-speed connectivity in regions that remain underserved today.
UNIVITY stands out for a business model that places telecom operators at the heart of the value chain and a unique technological combination designed to reconcile performance, integration simplicity, and cost efficiency.
At its core lies a telecommunications architecture based on telecom operators’ 5G spectrum, designed to work in synergy with a Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) deployment (<375 km), enabling internet services that cover use cases from high-throughput to Direct-to-Cell (D2C).
This approach paves the way for high-performance, affordable, and sustainable connectivity, including in rural, remote, or crisis-affected areas, complementing existing fiber or cellular networks.
UNIVITY will benefit from Telespazio’s strategic locations and recognized operational expertise, in particular through its worldwide network of teleports. This synergy represents a major asset for UNIVITY, enabling the company to accelerate its deployment and provide solutions that are reliable, cost-effective, and easy to integrate into existing telecom operators’ infrastructures worldwide, as well as for governmental and public services.
The two partners are also considering joint initiatives in other space-related markets addressed by Telespazio France, such as satellite-based population alert systems or space surveillance. This opportunity is based on the possibility of embarking secondary payloads during the deployment of the UNIVITY constellation—secondary missions that would enhance the value of the constellation and help meet the growing needs for security, resilience, and digital sovereignty.
According to Charles Delfieux, President and Founder of UNIVITY, “This agreement marks a strategic milestone for UNIVITY and confirms our ambition: to build a hybrid connectivity model combining the strengths of terrestrial and space networks. Together with Telespazio France, we are asserting a global vision of connectivity, universal and competitive.”
Corinne Mailles, Deputy CEO of Telespazio France, said, “This partnership with UNIVITY is fully aligned with Telespazio France’s ambition to support the NewSpace ecosystem through our ‘Operations as a Service’ model. As a trusted operator for French and European institutions and a meta-operator facilitating Defense access to NewSpace, we are proud to contribute to the emergence of a new European space connectivity offer.”