A joint initiative between Inria Lyon and UC Berkeley to build open and inclusive Direct-to-Device satellite networks.
Learn MoreD3-CONNECT is a 2025–2027 Associate Team between Inria Agora (France) and UC Berkeley (USA), focused on revolutionizing satellite communication networks.
Our mission is to democratize direct-to-device satellite communications by developing inclusive architectures that enable both large and small space actors to participate in the emerging D2D ecosystem. We aim to break down barriers to entry and create a more equitable space communication infrastructure.
Empower small satellite operators and IoT providers by creating accessible communication protocols that don't require massive infrastructure investments.
Combine space and terrestrial network designs to create hybrid systems that leverage the strengths of both approaches for optimal performance.
Develop comprehensive tools to evaluate multi-tenant D2D systems, enabling accurate performance predictions and optimization.
Connect research excellence from Inria and Berkeley to create solutions that address global connectivity challenges with local relevance.
France
Experts in satellite-terrestrial IoT and delay-tolerant networking, with extensive experience in designing communication protocols for challenging environments.
USA
Pioneers in decentralized mobile architectures (CellBricks), bringing cutting-edge research in network systems and distributed computing.
Inria Lyon – Agora Team
UC Berkeley – NetSys Group
UC Berkeley – NetSys Group
Use case definition, architecture design, and initial modeling tools development. Establishing collaboration frameworks between teams.
Simulation and performance evaluation of proposed architectures. Iterative refinement based on real-world testing scenarios.
System integration and dissemination of results. Preparation for technology transfer and implementation planning.
D3-CONNECT fosters open collaboration, expands global connectivity, and reduces barriers to entry in space networking. Our work has the potential to transform how satellite communications are deployed and managed worldwide.
Enable seamless IoT connectivity across remote areas without terrestrial infrastructure, supporting agriculture, environmental monitoring, and logistics.
Provide reliable communication during disasters when terrestrial networks are compromised, saving lives through better coordination.
Bridge communication gaps for ships at sea, improving safety, navigation, and operational efficiency for maritime industries.
Inria Lyon and UC Berkeley launched the D3-CONNECT initiative with a joint workshop at UC Berkeley, followed by a visit to the Space Tech Expo in Los Angeles to engage with industry partners and explore emerging trends in satellite systems.
We are developing a new framework for infrastructure sharing in satellite networks, adapting terrestrial models such as MORAN, MOCN, and roaming to LEO and GEO constellations. This work proposes a hybrid architecture where Satellite Network Operators (SNOs) can flexibly support multiple Mobile Network Operator (MNO) partnerships while optimizing the network.
Led by Wesley Woo, PhD student supervised by UC Berkeley members, we published our first results in the proceedings of HotNets 2025 in our paper entitled “Anyone, Anywhere, not Everyone, Everywhere: Starlink Doesn’t End the Digital Divide”, available at the ACM Digital Library.
D3-CONNECT members participated in the IETF 124 meeting in Montreal, engaging with the broader networking community. Our HotNets 2025 paper was presented (slides available here), and discussions were held within the SPACE RG, chaired by J. Fraire (Inria).
We published our collaborative work in the Proceedings of the 20th Workshop on Mobility in the Evolving Internet Architecture (MobiArch 2025, MOBICOM). The paper, entitled “Adaptive Orbital Direct-to-Device: Rethinking Satellite IoT Architectures”, is available here.
Inria Lyon – Agora Team
Website: https://team.inria.fr/agora
Principal Investigator: Dr. Juan Fraire