Making Satellite and Cellular IoT Accessible

Certified NTN connectivity Making Satellite and Cellular IoT Accessible

2026-08-17 Source: Press release Nordic Semiconductor | Translated by AI 5 min Reading Time

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Nordic Semiconductor is making satellite and cellular IoT connectivity more accessible to developers by enabling faster integration of Skylo-certified NTN capabilities into connected devices.

The Skylo certification inherited from embedded modem developer LooUQ enables IoT developers to develop devices faster that connect via cellular and satellite networks using Skylo’s standards-based NTN service.(Source: Nordic Semiconductor) — The Skylo certification inherited from embedded modem developer LooUQ enables IoT developers to develop devices faster that connect via cellular and satellite networks using Skylo’s standards-based NTN service.
(Source: Nordic Semiconductor)

Nordic Semiconductor (OSE: NOD), a global leader in wireless low-power connectivity solutions, today presents a faster route to IoT over satellite and cellular networks. The MTC2-N9151 from embedded modem developer LooUQ has received Skylo Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) certification. It uses the nRF9151, developed by Nordic itself and certified by Skylo, thereby shortening time to market for developers of IoT products.

Water technology specialist Remsight is already using LooUQ’s compact, ready-to-deploy embedded modem to monitor water infrastructure across the American West. This allows it to be deployed significantly faster and more cost-effectively than if it had had to develop its own solution from scratch.

A certification passed on across the entire stack

With the nRF9151, Nordic’s smallest and most energy-efficient cellular IoT module, IoT devices remain connected everywhere—from dense urban networks to areas without cellular coverage. It combines an open application MCU, an LTE-M/NB-IoT or DECT-NR+ modem, NB-NTN satellite support, and security features in a single package—meaning developers no longer need to add proprietary satellite hardware whose development costs time and money. Skylo operates as a standardised 3GPP NB-NTN network that is accessible through partnerships with mobile network operators (MNOs), allowing certified devices to switch automatically between terrestrial and satellite coverage. Earlier this year, the nRF9151 received Skylo certification after a firmware update expanded the established LTE-M/NB-IoT solution with full NTN satellite support—marking Nordic’s first step towards direct satellite communications via a standardised cellular module.

Because the certification is granted at module level, partners such as Michigan-based LooUQ that develop products based on the nRF9151 inherit this certification. This is particularly important for IoT devices deployed far from cellular towers, including other smart water sensors, agricultural monitoring equipment, energy infrastructure, asset tracking, and logistics devices, where a missed measurement can result in genuine operating costs. LooUQ’s MTC2-N9151 is the first embedded modem to inherit the certification in this way. Every product based on it inherits the certification and can be used commercially on Skylo’s NTN service, with the capabilities of the nRF9151 module enabling automatic switching between satellite and cellular connectivity depending on network coverage, without requiring changes to the application software.

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A faster route for the entire ecosystem, not just a single product

In practice, this means a shorter route to market for any company building on this certified foundation. LooUQ’s module requires just two external components to be integrated into a new product, and its NTN/TN antenna supports both terrestrial LTE and satellite-based 3GPP NB-NTN bands in a single element. This eliminates the need for separate antenna characterisation. Device manufacturers working with the MTC2-N9151 can pursue their own Skylo certification with significantly reduced testing effort instead of repeating the certification work already completed by Nordic and LooUQ. LooUQ has been an official Nordic module partner in the company’s partner programme since 2025. Through this programme, the company aims to offer carrier-side device certification and further simplify integration and regulatory certification for manufacturers of IoT devices.

Already in practical use

Remsight, a Montana-based water technology company, is among the first to put the certified combination into practice. The company’s HydroProxy platform uses the MTC2-N9151 to connect solar-powered sensors in remote irrigation infrastructure across the American West—in areas that previously lacked reliable coverage from terrestrial cellular networks. This gives water managers real-time visibility into systems that previously had to be inspected manually. By using LooUQ’s certified foundation, Remsight can now pursue its own Skylo certification with minimal additional testing effort.

Technical specifications

The nRF9151 is Nordic’s smallest and most energy-efficient cellular IoT module, supporting LTE-M/NB-IoT, NB-NTN, and NR+ in a single ultra-compact module. LooUQ’s MTC2-N9151 provides the nRF9151’s complete pin functionality through LooUQ’s MTC.2 interface. It is supplied with the MTC2-N9151-BRK-KIT (breakout) and MTC2-N9151-UXP-KIT development kits, the latter featuring integrated regulators and an I²C-controlled RGB LED, allowing developers to begin over-the-air testing immediately.

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“The nRF9151 was developed to establish a new standard for highly integrated and compact module solutions for Cellular IoT and private 5G NR+ applications,” says Kristian Sæther, Senior Product Director, Long Range, at Nordic Semiconductor. “Its support for LTE-M/NB-IoT, NB-NTN, and NR+, combined with advanced security and a low-power design, makes it an ideal foundation for next-generation devices that need to work anywhere in the world. We are pleased that LooUQ is bringing these capabilities to market through a Skylo-certified solution.”

“We developed the MTC2-N9151 so that the best integrated modem stands out by ensuring that the user never has to think about it,” says Greg Terrell, CEO of LooUQ. “It works regardless of where a product ultimately operates. The Skylo certification means that our customers can promise something exceptional: a device that is connected everywhere and at all times. That is a promise we are proud to deliver on.”

“Our customers include water managers in some of the most remote areas of the West,” says Stephen McLaughlin, Co-Founder and President of Remsight. “They cannot afford gaps in connectivity. A missed flow measurement or a delayed alert can mean a failed delivery or a flooded field. Thanks to LooUQ’s MTC2-N9151 and Skylo’s NTN network, we can guarantee that our HydroProxy sensors remain connected and continue sending data—regardless of where we deploy them.”

Availability

The nRF9151 is globally certified and has been available since 2025. LooUQ’s MTC2-N9151, including its breakout and development kits, is available immediately through LooUQ for evaluation purposes and integration into production designs. Development kits can be requested directly from LooUQ at www.loouq.com. Companies developing products around the MTC2-N9151 can accelerate their own certification through Skylo’s partner programme. Further information about Skylo’s NTN network can be found at www.skylo.tech.