Euro regulators approve satellite to low-power device comms standard

In a move that the industry’s technical trade association says will reshape the non-terrestrial network (NTN) landscape, the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) has officially confirmed the regulatory framework enabling satellite-to-low power device communication with satellites (LPD-S) communications in the short-range device (SRD) 862-870MHz frequency band in Europe.

The approval is the result of a years-long collaboration between the European regulators and the LoRa Alliance, the global association of companies backing the open LoRaWAN standard for the internet of things (IoT) low-power (LPWANs).

In April 2024, in a move designed to broaden market reach and simplify deployments, including improved connectivity in challenging environments and seamless device integration, the LoRa Alliance launched a formal roadmap for the LoRaWAN standard for the internet of things LPWANs.

The LoRaWAN specification is a LPWA networking protocol designed to wirelessly connect battery-operated “things” to the internet in regional, national or global networks, and targets key IoT requirements such as bi-directional communication, end-to-end security, mobility and localisation services. The roadmap highlights LoRaWAN’s evolution from building and interconnecting networks through its focus on making the technology faster and easier to deploy.

The ECC decision was finalised during the association’s June 2025 meeting, and the concerned parties say it marks a significant advancement in enabling “innovative” satellite-based LPWAN IoT solutions, particularly LoRaWAN across Europe.

LoRa Alliance says its initiatives in Europe contributed to comprehensive studies and to stakeholders’ consultations conducted by ECC. The regulations are said to establish clear guidelines for the use of SRD spectrum by satellite systems communicating with low-power device-satellite (LPD-S) terminals on the ground. It is expected to facilitate the deployment of satellite services designed to support LoRaWAN applications in areas such as logistics, agriculture, environmental monitoring and remote asset management.

Key highlights of the decision include harmonising satellite-to-LPDS communications so they are now in the 862-870MHz SRD band. The framework also ensures coexistence with existing terrestrial SRD users while opening new avenues for NTN deployments.

Assessing what the decision could mean for the industry, ECC chair Chris Seifert believes it could be a crucial step towards fostering innovation in the growing IoT sector. “By enabling LPD-S devices to communicate with satellites within harmonised SRD spectrum, we unlock new possibilities for a wide range of technologies for reliable, low-power connectivity – even in remote or underserved regions,” she said.

LoRa Alliance CEO Alper Yegin added: “Advocating for LoRaWAN technology and spectrum access is one of the alliance’s main objectives. Maintaining open and available frequency bands is key to our members’ ability to build businesses based on the open LoRaWAN wide area networking standard. It is validating to have a formal regulatory framework in place to guide future deployments. We extend our thanks to our members who have tirelessly advocated to secure this formal regulatory framework, ensuring broad access for satellite IoT solutions.”

Olivier Beaujard, LoRa Alliance regulatory working group chair and chairman of the board, said: “The LoRa Alliance thanks all regulators from the ECC for their prompt actions and decisions enabling LPD-S devices to communicate with satellite within the harmonised SRD 862-870MHz band. The decision unlocks new opportunities for reliable, low-power LoRaWAN applications regardless of geographic location or deployed terrestrial infrastructure.”