Civil society coalition launches campaign calling for Direct-to-Cell satellite connectivity amid Iran’s internet shutdowns
Iran’s government-imposed internet shutdown amid nationwide protests highlights the urgent need for crisis-ready connectivity. With millions cut off from the rest of the world, we’re calling on technology companies and policymakers to urgently prioritize humanitarian internet access for civilians in the deployment of the Direct-to-Cell (D2C) satellite technologies. Humanitarian applications embedded in D2C satellite connectivity regulatory and operational frameworks can offer a lifeline to civilians and help uphold fundamental human rights.
The recent protests in Iran have once again demonstrated how internet restrictions are deliberately weaponized by authorities to suppress dissent and isolate populations. This recent blackout is thought to have aided the regime in massacring what is now thought to be at least 16,500 protesters. While some limited connectivity has been partially restored after weeks of near-total blackout, access remains heavily filtered and monitored, with international connectivity severely restricted. Millions of people remain unable to freely communicate with loved ones, access independent information, or safely share evidence of human rights violations. Essential services, including banking, healthcare, emergency response, and telecommunications, continue to face significant disruptions, deepening the humanitarian impact and placing lives at risk.
Experience in Iran has shown that satellite-based connectivity can function even during government-imposed blackouts, but current Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite internet requires $1,000+ terminals and risky smuggling, limiting access to privileged populations while leaving marginalized communities where the worst atrocities occur completely invisible. Direct-to-Cell technology eliminates these barriers by connecting directly to standard smartphones without specialized equipment or prohibitive costs. Compatible with most phones made after 2020 which are already widespread across Iran, even in underserved areas. D2C can democratize crisis connectivity and enable documentation from the communities most affected by repression. These systems are already being developed and deployed, demonstrating their potential to rapidly scale access to millions of people.
To realize this potential, humanitarian use must be embedded within the regulatory, technical, and operational frameworks governing D2C technologies. When designed and authorized for crisis response, D2C connectivity can serve as a critical lifeline during shutdowns, keeping families connected, supporting medical care and humanitarian coordination, enabling independent reporting, and allowing for the safe documentation of human rights abuses and accountability.
Iran is not an isolated case. Internet shutdowns have been repeatedly imposed in countries such as Myanmar, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kashmir, Bangladesh, and Palestine, where authorities have sought to silence protests, conceal violence, and restrict civic space. In each of these contexts, crisis-ready D2C connectivity could play a decisive role in protecting civilians and upholding fundamental rights.
Iran demonstrates that this is both technologically feasible and urgently necessary. With the right policies, coordination, and investment, crisis-ready satellite connectivity can have a tangible, life-saving impact wherever internet shutdowns are used to silence populations and suppress fundamental human rights.
We therefore call on governments, regulators, satellite providers, and international institutions to take urgent action to enable humanitarian direct-to-cell connectivity by:
- Removing regulatory barriers to humanitarian connectivity: Governments must ensure sanctions exemptions, licensing, and spectrum access allow satellite internet services to operate in countries under authoritarian control, including during shutdowns.
- Prioritizing crisis-ready satellite infrastructure: Satellite providers and regulators should ensure coverage, capacity, and rapid activation protocols are designed to serve crisis zones (not only profitable markets) enabling immediate use during emergencies.
- Making connectivity accessible for people under duress: Services must be affordable, easy to activate, and compatible with commonly used devices, including through subsidised or pooled funding models that ensure access during shutdowns and emergencies.
- Establishing clear emergency response protocols: Policymakers and companies should create fast-track mechanisms to activate connectivity during documented crises to support medical care, humanitarian coordination, family contact, and human rights documentation.
- Investing in sustainable humanitarian connectivity models: Development agencies, humanitarian actors, and private companies should partner to fund and scale satellite connectivity for crisis-affected populations, building viable, long-term business models that ensure affordability and impact.
For more information, visit the campaign website: https://www.direct2cell.org/
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