Nokia and ICEYE Plan a Sovereign Satellite Broadband Network, Targeting 2028

Nokia and ICEYE announced a partnership on October 1, 2026, to develop secure low Earth orbit (LEO) broadband communications for governments and defence customers. The companies say the planned system would let participating nations own and operate its infrastructure; the first communications satellites are expected to launch in 2028. 15

What the planned network is for

The companies named military and border-security operations, emergency services and disaster response as intended uses. The system is also described as a way to provide backup communications when terrestrial networks are disrupted, complementing rather than replacing existing military and commercial networks. 12

The proposal is broader than a satellite-only service: the planned national-control model includes satellites, ground infrastructure and user terminals. Nokia and ICEYE describe the system as secure, sovereign and high-performance broadband, but those are stated goals for a system still under development—not evidence of a service already in operation. 58

European technology and national control

Nokia and ICEYE presented the project as being built on “trusted European technology.” Their stated proposition is that governments would have ownership and control of the communications infrastructure, rather than relying entirely on a service operated by an outside provider. 15

How it relates to Starlink

Some coverage framed the partnership as a challenge to SpaceX’s Starlink. The clearest distinction in the announcement is the proposed national ownership and control of the system. The available information does not establish a direct comparison of performance, coverage or cost, so it is more accurate to view the project as a planned sovereign option for government customers than as a demonstrated technical rival. 59

What is known—and what remains open

The first communications satellites are expected to launch in 2028. That is a target, not a completed launch or a confirmed service start date. 15

The available announcement coverage does not provide customer names, costs or the number of satellites planned. Until more details emerge, the partnership is best understood as a development plan whose defining promise is government control of the satellite and ground communications system. 12