Telenor IoT, a leading global provider of IoT connectivity, and Sateliot, the leading Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation based on the 5G standard, have announced a strategic partnership. The collaboration represents a significant milestone in expanding global IoT coverage, enabling standard NB-IoT devices to transition seamlessly between terrestrial and satellite networks without proprietary hardware or custom integrations.
Outside populated areas, geographical coverage remains limited or non-existent in many parts of the world. For applications that require coverage in areas such as oceans, mountains, and remote agricultural or industrial areas, other means of communication than mobile connectivity need to be considered.
Historically, IoT devices operating in those rural areas have needed special satellite-specific hardware, complex integrations, or expensive proprietary solutions. Sateliot’s satellite solution changes that.
Sateliot’s technology is the first satellite network built to work seamlessly with the standard NB-IoT devices that companies also use on the ground. Because Sateliot’s LEO satellites follow the 3GPP Release 17 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) standard, devices can connect to satellites without any modifications, custom antennas, or special firmware (providing the devices support this 3GPP release).
The partnership aims to enable global, resilient IoT solutions that combine the best of both worlds: terrestrial mobile coverage where it exists, and satellite connectivity everywhere else.
This enables new use cases across industries such as:
– Agriculture: tracking equipment, monitoring soil and weather conditions on remote farmland.
– Maritime: connecting vessels, buoys, and cargo at sea.
– Transport & Logistics: real-time tracking of assets across remote routes.
– Energy & Utilities: monitoring pipelines, wind farms, and power infrastructure.
– Environment & Wildlife: supporting sensors and research stations in remote natural areas.
Successful field tests in Spain showed that Telenor IoT SIM cards can stay connected to Sateliot’s satellite network for extended periods, proving reliable and secure connectivity. The alliance will continue to expand with tests in several countries.
