Barcelona-based telecommunications company Sateliot has inaugurated Europe’s first 5G satellite development center, marking a major step in the region’s space and connectivity ambitions.
Located near Cerdà Square in the Catalan capital, the new facility is focused on developing a next-generation satellite system capable of connecting not just Internet of Things (IoT) devices, but also standard mobile phones — effectively functioning as “a 5G tower in space,” the company said.
Catalan President Salvador Illa visited the new center on Monday, praising Sateliot for advancing technology “for the common good” and contributing to improved digital connectivity and well-being.
Sateliot achieved a key milestone in September, when it became the first company to connect a low Earth orbit satellite directly to an IoT device, according to co-founder and CEO Jaume Sanpera.
While commercial operations have not yet begun, Sateliot has already secured 734 contracts to connect up to 10 million devices in rural and low-signal areas. The company aims to generate €1 billion in revenue by 2030.
Currently operating five small satellites in orbit, Sateliot plans to launch five more in 2026 to begin providing global IoT services. In 2027, it will introduce “Tritó,” a satellite 16 times larger than its first model, ‘Enxaneta.’
Sanpera said the new development marks “a new phase” for the company and the European space sector, emphasizing that “Catalonia, Spain, and Europe are well aligned to lead 5G connectivity from space with their own technology and a global approach.”
“We are as powerful as the rest,” Illa added, underscoring Catalonia’s growing role in space and telecommunications innovation.
