The hybrid cellular-satellite narrowband IoT trial aims to expand Vodafone IoT coverage in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
Vodafone IoT announced a new partnership with Skylo Technologies, Inc. to provide customers with non-terrestrial network (NTN) narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) satellite connectivity services. In the initial phase, the two companies will collaborate on technology trials. The goal is to offer comprehensive commercial services in the near future. Skylo operates a global NTN network covering 70 million square kilometers in 36 countries.
The two companies will work together to provide Vodafone IoT customers with broader network coverage. This will unlock new opportunities for businesses by providing overlay solutions for IoT devices with existing cellular network connectivity. In addition, this collaboration highlights the growing customer demand for seamless, scalable, and secure connectivity.
The network cores of Skylo and Vodafone IoT will be integrated. This will enable customers to seamlessly switch between cellular and NTN connectivity using a single Vodafone SIM card. Industries ranging from asset tracking and energy services to environmental monitoring and fleet management will benefit from this new hybrid connectivity model. This model provides seamless cross-border connectivity across industries. Furthermore, customers will be able to continue using Vodafone IoT’s managed connectivity platform to manage their IoT assets. This will help them meet their cellular and NTN connectivity needs.
Skylo’s network can coordinate across multiple satellite constellations and can be directly integrated into existing chipsets, modules, and operating systems. Additionally, Skylo has certified modules from a robust global chipset and module ecosystem. This lays the foundation for a wide range of application scenarios.
“We are committed to providing our customers with truly global IoT connectivity, and today marks another significant step forward,” said Erik Brenneis, CEO of Vodafone IoT.
“Our new partnership with Skylo will help us provide our customers with ubiquitous connectivity and enable a qualitative leap in network access, reliability, and resilience, thereby driving the next wave of innovative IoT solutions.”
“This trial is a key step in bringing 3GPP-compliant satellite connectivity to the Vodafone IoT ecosystem,” said Passarati Trivedi, CEO and co-founder of Skylo. “We are demonstrating how Skylo’s network can seamlessly extend Vodafone IoT coverage to the most remote areas, adding millions of square kilometers of coverage. This proves that ‘connectivity anytime, anywhere’ is no longer a future concept — it’s here, it’s standards-based, and it’s ready to be rolled out globally.”