Sateliot opens first European 5G satellite development center in Barcelona

The Catalan telecommunications operator, Sateliot, opened the first European 5G satellite development center in Barcelona on Monday.

Located near the Cerdà Square in the Catalan capital, the company is already working on a new generation of larger satellites that can connect not only to smart-home appliances (IoT) but also to phone devices.

The company describes the new product "like a 5G tower in space." During a visit to the offices, Catalan president Salvador Illa congratulated the group for working on technology "for the common good" that will "improve our well-being."

Back in September, the firm connected a low Earth orbit satellite to an IoT device for the first time, a feat no one had achieved before, as co-founder and CEO Jaume Sanpera explained.

At the moment, Sateliot has not yet started commercial operations, but has 734 contracts to connect up to 10 million devices in rural areas and zones with very low cell signal. The goal is to reach €1 billion in revenue by 2030.

Sateliot currently has five small satellites in orbit, with plans to launch five more in 2026 to begin offering services to IoT clients worldwide. In 2027, the firm will then launch the new device, Tritó, which is 16 times larger than the current 'Enxaneta.'

For Sanpera, the company opens a "new phase" in which "Catalonia, Spain, and Europe are well aligned to lead 5G connectivity from space, with its own technology, and with a global approach."

"We are as powerful as the rest," Illa said during his statement.