GSMA & ESA: €100M for Space AI Internet

On March 2, 2026, GSMA Foundry, in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), announced a €100 million fund to develop NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks) and D2D (Device-to-Device) technologies.

The goal of the grants is to merge satellite constellations and terrestrial cell towers into a single intelligent network. AI routers will dynamically switch smartphone traffic from a 5G tower to a satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO) without dropping the connection. This step is a fundamental preparation for the 6G standard, which should ensure absolute, seamless global coverage. Public funding confirms that the merger of telecom and space is a matter of strategic importance for Europe.

Source: PR Newswire / GSMA