03:53 AM EST, 11/04/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Iridium Communications ( IRDM ) said early Tuesday it formed a partnership with Vodafone ( VOD ) IoT to integrate its NTN Direct service, extending Vodafone's ( VOD ) NB-IoT connectivity to remote and hard-to-reach areas.

The company said that the partnership will enable direct-to-device, 3GPP standards-based connectivity for data messaging, tracking, and real-time monitoring across various industries, including energy, shipping, automotive, and emergency services.

The commercial launch of Iridium NTN Direct is planned for 2026, following integration and testing, with the service to be made available to Vodafone IoT customers worldwide, it said.