Following years of collaboration with LoRa Alliance members, the ECC has approved the use of the 862–870MHz band for satellite-to-low-power device communications, paving the way for the broader deployment of LoRaWan-based IoT across Europe.

This regulatory decision expands coverage into remote regions, enabling use cases such as logistics, agriculture and environmental monitoring, without requiring terrestrial infrastructure.

The Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) has officially approved the DEC(25)021 decision, confirming the regulatory framework enabling satellite-to-low power device communication with satellites (LPD-S) communications within the short-range device (SRD) 862-870MHz frequency band in Europe.

This decision, finalised during the ECC’s June meeting, advances the enablement of innovative satellite-based LPWAN IoT, particularly LoRaWan, across Europe.

The approval is the result of a years-long collaboration between the LoRa Alliance and European regulators. The new regulations establish clear guidelines for the use of SRD spectrum by satellite systems communicating with LPD-S terminals on the ground. It is expected to facilitate the deployment of satellite services designed to support LoRaWan applications in areas such as logistics, agriculture, environmental monitoring and remote asset management.

“Advocating for LoRaWan technology and spectrum access is one of the alliance’s main objectives,” said Alper Yegin, CEO of the LoRa Alliance. “Maintaining open and available frequency bands is key to our members’ ability to build businesses based on the open LoRaWan standard. It is validating to have a formal regulatory framework in place to guide future deployments. We extend our thanks to our members who have tirelessly advocated to secure this formal regulatory framework, ensuring broad access for satellite IoT.”

Satellite-to-LPDS communications are now harmonised in the 862-870MHz SRD band. The framework ensures coexistence with existing terrestrial SRD users while opening avenues for non-terrestrial network (NTN) deployments. LoRa Alliance initiatives in Europe contributed to studies and to stakeholders’ consultations conducted by the ECC.

“This is a crucial step towards fostering innovation in the growing IoT sector,” said Chris Seifert, ECC chairwoman. “By enabling LPD-S devices to communicate with satellites within harmonised SRD spectrum, we unlock new possibilities for a wide range of technologies for reliable, low-power connectivity, even in remote or underserved regions.”

Olivier Beaujard, LoRa Alliance (lora-alliance.org) chairman of the board, added: “The LoRa Alliance thanks all regulators from the ECC for their prompt actions and decisions enabling LPD-S devices to communicate with satellite within the harmonised SRD 862-870MHz band. The decision unlocks new opportunities for reliable, low-power LoRaWan applications regardless of geographic location or deployed terrestrial infrastructure.”