In August 1983, two months before Omar Qaise was born, then Luxembourg Prime Minister Pierre Werner instructed the Société nationale de crédit et d’investissement and the Caisse d’épargne de l’État (then the official name of Spuerkeess) to invest in the creation of the Société européenne de satellites--the venture that would later become SES. The Iraqi native was born at the end of October that year.

Forty years after Luxembourg’s bold bet on SES, the country is once again staking its future on space--this time with a technology a generation ahead. In 1985, the wager was on satellite television; in 2025, it is on 5G from orbit. At the centre of this new venture is OQ Technology, founded in 2016 by engineer Omar Qaise, which aims to deliver 5G connectivity to areas still beyond the reach of terrestrial networks by linking smartphones and Internet of Things devices directly through a constellation of nanosatellites.

On 4 November, the Luxemburgish government awarded it Europe’s first national concession for non-terrestrial (NTN) and direct (D2D) 5G. It’s the same mechanism as in 1985: a national regulatory framework, recognised by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and conceded to a private operator to make it a global project.

This concession is not only a success for Luxembourg, but also an important step for Europe and the whole world. It symbolises European sovereignty in space communications, Luxembourg’s leadership in 5G and satellite innovation, and OQ Technology’s pioneering role in the commercialisation of 5G direct-to-device connectivity. Together, they make Luxembourg a reliable regulatory pillar for next-generation connectivity, where satellites, networks and devices converge seamlessly,” comments the CEO, who has been enabled by the government, via its Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister for Media and Connectivity, Elisabeth Margue, to deploy and operate satellite-based 5G networks to provide direct-to-device and Internet of Things connectivity.

No public funding but royalties

The concession does not involve any public funding. It is a regulatory and sovereign authorisation, not a subsidy or financial aid. OQ Technology finances the design, launch and operation of its satellite systems. The government, as the licensing authority, oversees compliance and ensures coordination of the spectrum under its jurisdiction. In other words, the state provides the legal and sovereign framework, while OQ Technology invests in and operates the commercial system.

OQ Technology is also required to pay concession fees, like any other licensed satellite communications company. Like SES in its early days, OQ Technology relies on a sovereign authority to establish itself on the orbital map. In 2024, the ITU assigned it the code E.212 901 30, a global mobile network identifier reserved for satellite operators. In other words, OQ is now a genuine international mobile operator, like Iridium or Starlink.

But the model has changed. SES broadcast images; OQ broadcasts data. The company is positioning itself as a 5G satellite infrastructure operator, selling its connectivity to telecoms operators rather than individuals. The antennae on the ground are no longer satellite dishes, but 5G stations, while users keep their SIM cards and smartphones. This architecture, which complies with 3GPP Release 17 standards, means that space-based 5G can be integrated into terrestrial networks without any technological break.

“The main customers are telecoms operators looking to extend their satellite coverage, companies in remote sectors (energy, logistics, agriculture, maritime), and governments, defence customers or agencies that need resilient communications,” explains Omar Qaise further. “We are currently operational with satellites already in orbit and are expanding to form a full constellation. Commercial D2D services for smartphones and IoT devices are expected to develop in 2026, after the concession comes into effect.”

Competitors soon ready for battle

The company remains in a phase of massive investment: €18.76m in assets, a €4.02m loss in 2024, but also €6.88m in contracts with the European Space Agency provided it meets its targets, a €2.5m European grant from the European Innovation Council, and a €9.9m convertible loan from the Luxembourg Space Sector Development Fund, held by the state and SES. OQ Technology has launched 10 satellite missions for the IoT service, is already operating the service and is expanding its fleet with the launch of new IoT satellites next year and the first 3 European Direct-To-Smart Phone missions next year. The constellation will comprise more than a hundred satellites with its second generation. These satellites cover a global footprint, serving in particular regions that lack terrestrial infrastructure, from the Arctic to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and South America, and provide 5G NTN IoT and direct-to-device connectivity based on standardised 3GPP protocols.

Main investors Wa’ed Ventures (Aramco’s fund), Phaistos Investment Fund (Greece) and Poly SYS Industrie Est (Abu Dhabi) acquired a stake in 2022. Founder Omar Qaise retains a majority stake, surrounded by private investors from Luxembourg and the Middle East.

But this concession is going to have to find its clientele very quickly because other projects are not standing still, even if only one seems to be as far advanced on the planet. Skylo Technologies, an American company backed by Ligado Networks, Inmarsat and Intelsat, does not own any satellites but operates as a software integrator for NTN connectivity. Its platform is based on 3GPP Release 17 standards for connecting sensors and 5G devices via existing L-band fleets. Backed by SoftBank, Denso and Qualcomm, Skylo already claims several million connected objects. It operates under its partners’ FCC-approved Mobile-Satellite Service licences, without having any orbital rights of its own: a software interoperability model that is quick to deploy but reliant on other people’s infrastructure.

Others have begun to take an intermediate route: AST SpaceMobile is building its own giant satellites capable of communicating directly with conventional 4G/5G phones; Lynk Global is offering similar SMS and light data services; Omnispace is banking on a hybrid network between S and L bands. All have obtained experimental authorisations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan, but none yet has a permanent commercial licence. These initiatives validate the technical feasibility of 5G from the sky, but they remain governed by temporary regimes. Luxembourg, on the other hand, has gone further: it has transformed the experiment into a lasting national concession, offering OQ Technology a stable and exportable regulatory anchor--the same leverage that, in 1985, propelled SES.

Dual use and military or hybrid requirements

Beyond civil coverage, OQ’s technology also opens up a new strategic layer in hybrid communications. A constellation capable of providing secure global 5G connectivity that is independent of the terrestrial network is naturally of interest to the armed forces, emergency services and operators of critical infrastructures. The non-terrestrial architecture offers additional resilience in the face of fibre cuts, natural disasters or cyber attacks targeting ground networks.

For a state like Luxembourg, which supports several European space defence projects, this dual capability is not insignificant. 5G via satellite could become a building block for the European defence cloud or for interoperable tactical communications with allied forces. By ensuring that a national company masters this technology, the country is positioning itself not only as a pioneer of commercial connectivity, but also as a player in European digital security.

The parallel is obvious: in 1985, Luxembourg invented European television; in 2025, it wants to invent orbital 5G. Back then, SES offered the continent a voice; today, OQ Technology is promising a network. In a market worth $1trn.