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Ben Jiang

China has approved its first private-sector commercial trial for satellite Internet of Things (IoT) services, granting a permit to a Geely-backed venture as part of broader efforts to open the country’s burgeoning satellite communications market to private capital.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) granted Zhejiang Geespace Technology, the commercial space subsidiary of electric vehicle giant Geely, a two-year trial period, according to a notice published on the ministry’s website on Thursday.
Geespace will provide low-power, wide-coverage connectivity across sectors including smart transport, marine fisheries, energy, and water infrastructure.
The decision makes Geespace the first private Chinese company to secure approval for a satellite IoT commercial trial, underscoring Beijing’s push to accelerate the development of its commercial space sector.
In May, MIIT issued the country’s first satellite IoT trial permit to Beijing Guodian High-Tech Technology, an entity backed by state-owned China Mobile, the nation’s largest wireless carrier.


Satellite IoT delivers low-speed data services through satellite networks to link sensors, vehicles and equipment.
Unlike broadband constellations such as SpaceX’s Starlink or China’s state-backed Qianfan system, which focus on high-speed internet, satellite IoT prioritises reliable, low-power connections for large numbers of devices operating in remote areas without traditional network coverage, such as oceans, deserts and isolated infrastructure sites.
In its approval notice, MIIT highlighted satellite IoT as an important complement to broadband satellite services, noting that the trial would help pave the way for further private-sector participation in China’s commercial space development.
Founded in 2018, Geespace is among a growing cohort of Chinese commercial space companies deploying proprietary orbital networks.
The firm launched 64 satellites in six missions between 2022 and 2025 to complete the first phase of its network, according to its website. CEO Wang Yang told Zhejiang Daily in 2024 that the company in the long run aimed to deploy a constellation exceeding 5,600 satellites.
The domestic milestone comes as Geespace expands its global footprint. The company had conducted trials with telecoms operators in more than 20 countries across the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, South Asia and Latin America, according to its website.
Geespace’s push into international markets puts it in direct competition with established global operators such as Iridium Communications, the US-listed market leader that has built a mature satellite IoT business over decades.
Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Iridium is a leading global player in satellite IoT operating a 66-satellite constellation that provides voice, data and IoT connectivity services for industries including maritime, aviation, government and remote infrastructure.
The Satellite IoT market is a niche segment but expanding quickly. Research firm ABI Research estimated about 13.6 million active satellite IoT connections worldwide in 2025, up 20.7 per cent from a year earlier. That figure was projected to more than double to 28.6 million by 2030, generating roughly US$3.1 billion, according to Jake Saunders, head of the consultancy’s Asia-Pacific research division.


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Geespace secures a two-year satellite IoT trial from MIIT, the first approval for a private Chinese firm


Geespace secures a two-year satellite IoT trial from MIIT, the first approval for a private Chinese firm.


China clears Geely for landmark satellite IoT test to spur commercial space sector

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Geespace secures a two-year satellite IoT trial from MIIT, the first approval for a private Chinese firm

Geespace secures a two-year satellite IoT trial from MIIT, the first approval for a private Chinese firm