Direct-to-device (D2D) IoT is set for mass adoption within 18 months, according to a report from California-based Viasat.

It shows that 91% of decision-makers across five major industries plan to adopt D2D devices within their IoT strategy over the next 18 months.

D2D IoT devices can connect to both satellite and cellular networks without existing satellite terminals to unlock safety, efficiency and sustainability benefits for major industries.

The report was conducted by Vanson Bourne and surveyed 600 IoT decision-makers from five major industries: agriculture, energy, transport and logistics, mining and utilities. The survey asked professionals about new D2D IoT devices, which enable organisations to track, monitor and control operations by sharing data over satellite and cellular without the need for existing, dedicated satellite terminals.

The vast majority (90%) of those surveyed agree D2D will accelerate the roll-out of IoT globally. Current terrestrial IoT users are particularly keen to tap into the technology, with almost a third (32%) planning to adopt D2D within the next six months. However, while intent is high, most respondents (81%) say adoption in IoT would only be feasible after the next one to two years.

Across all IoT decision-makers surveyed, over a quarter intend to adopt D2D within six months, over two-thirds within 12 months, and the vast majority (91%) within 18 months. On top of this, 89% of organisations say they would consider replacing their current IoT connectivity with D2D within the next two to three years.

Respondents reported high confidence that new applications can have significant benefits, with them saying D2D could provide an advantage due to its smaller form factor (61%), ability to support large scale deployments (59%) and in deployments in areas without cellular coverage (55%).

The most beneficial use cases provided through D2D include crop storage monitoring in agriculture (33%), automated haulage vehicles in mining (36%), vehicular tracking and route optimisation in transport (43%), water infrastructure monitoring in utilities (43%), and wellhead monitoring in energy (33%).

Within their existing IoT roll-out, 78% of respondents say their organisations’ progress has increased over the past 12 months. Organisations are also increasingly integrating satellite into their deployments. In this year’s survey, more than half of organisations (55%) reported using satellite in their IoT estates, a rise from the 41% reported in 2024’s survey.

“Organisations are rightly excited by the potential for standards-based D2D and are planning to deploy new technology quickly and at scale,” said Andy Kessler, vice president at Viasat (www.viasat.com). “The excitement makes sense because we know new devices can lower the barrier to entry for organisations by reducing the cost, complexity and physical size of IoT terminals. But while companies rightly want to move fast, the change represents a major shift. It’s our job to work with our partner ecosystem and customers to help them access the safety, efficiency and sustainability benefits satellite-enabled IoT can bring.”

Download the report at www.viasat.com/perspectives/enterprise/2026/ntn-industrial-iot.