KDDI-owned cellular IoT provider Soracom is offering satellite NB-IoT in a phased and controlled commercial launch to key enterprise customers. The move follows integration with US-based non-terrestrial network (NTN) service operator Skylo Technologies, which lets terrestrial Release 17-level 3GPP-based NB-IoT hardware connect via its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. The pair signed a deal last July; the service has been in private beta mode until now. It is now in ‘limited preview’, said Soracom; customers can request it to active the service.
Customers in North America, Europe, and Oceania can now request to activate a direct-to-device satellite NB-IoT connection with Skylo in Soracom’s cloud platform and switch their Soracom SIMs/eSIMs between cellular and satellite IoT networks, as required. It works with existing Release-17 level NB-IoT chipsets, modems, modules, and devices. Customers can use its ‘subscription containers’ feature to add the Skylo service (‘planNT1’) over-the-air to its ‘plan01s’ and ‘plan-US’ IoT SIM subscriptions, the company said.
It commented: “NTN typically comes with higher latency and base data cost compared to cellular. However, Soracom’s platform services let customers minimize the amount of data transmitted and handshake over the satellite link while maintaining integration with their cloud service of choice. This approach maximizes coverage, including satellite failover, while also integrating billing and connectivity management using the Soracom connectivity management portal.”
Kenta Yasukawa, co-founder and chief technology officer at Soracom, said: “Soracom is committed to an internet of things without limits – where anything can connect to any cloud from anywhere. Now, customers can add Skylo’s breakthrough 3GPP NTN coverage to their devices while still taking full advantage of Soracom’s CMP and platform to control their connections, cloud integrations, and data use.”
Parth Trivedi, co-founder and chief executive at Skylo, said: “Deep platform integration, seamless switching between NTN and cellular, and the ability to add NTN gives Soracom customers the ability to unlock the full potential of IoT at any time, regardless of their location or infrastructure constraints, enabling real-time data access, monitoring, and control in areas not currently served by cellular connectivity.”
A press statement also included a quote from Ray Ozzie, founder and chief executive at IoT module maker Blues, who made an appearance at a Soracom partner event this week. Ozzie said: “Blues simplifies wireless communication so customers can transform physical products into intelligent services. Key to our approach is supporting all major radio access technologies. The ability to connect via satellite where cellular is not an option while allowing customers to maintain control and minimize data overhead promises to help Blues build a safer, more intelligent connected world.”