The Internet of Things (IoT) is playing an increasingly pivotal role in daily life, with advancements such as Industrial IoT and Smart Cities gaining greater significance. However, connectivity remains a key challenge in fully realizing these innovations. To address this, Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) is taking a significant step forward by providing global network coverage for its IoT services.
This comprehensive solution integrates cellular 5G NB-NTN satellite communications alongside traditional terrestrial mobile connectivity, ensuring seamless and reliable global connectivity.
Mobile network access is now available in most parts of the world’s landmass, yet the major part of the planet’s surface has limited or no coverage, such as at sea, in remote locations, and across rural areas. This gap in connectivity presents a significant challenge for the rapidly expanding IoT sector. Many IoT applications depend on seamless and widespread network access to operate effectively. Without extended coverage reaching these previously inaccessible areas, the full potential of IoT solutions cannot be realized.
G+D is now further closing this connectivity gap through a cooperation with Skylo, the pioneer in Non-Terrestrial Network communications, through its commercially available satellite network service. This service spans five continents, that connects to existing GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit) constellations and is extensible to LEO (Low Earth Orbit) constellations as they come online. It complements G+D’s existing partnership with Sateliot, operator of a LEO network. Both Skylo and Sateliot use the same cellular technology as the existing mobile networks. Thus, this makes satellite connectivity available at low cost by being able to leverage the expansive cellular ecosystem.
For global IoT connectivity coverage, G+D can access satellite systems in geostationary and low-Earth orbit through this new cooperation in addition to the mobile network. The GEO satellites are located at an altitude of around 36,000 kilometers and the LEO satellites at an altitude of 400 to 1,500 kilometers. The IoT devices automatically switch from mobile to satellite communication when required, without the user noticing the switch. Our partnership with Skylo allows for commercial operations today. G+D distributes its IoT services as a complete solution, which includes an iSIM, eSIM or pSIM and IoT connectivity and is managed via an IoT platform. However, companies can also purchase only parts of the solution stack, such as the secure connectivity or the management system.
The potential applications for G+D’s new IoT solution and service offering are extensive. Use cases such as asset tracking and smart farming are just a few possibilities. In the transportation and logistics sector, satellite connectivity is becoming increasingly important for monitoring and tracking goods in remote areas or at sea, where mobile network coverage is limited or unavailable. Devices can transmit and receive critical data, such as location and temperature, which are essential for maintaining the integrity of goods over satellite. Similarly, IoT solutions with comprehensive network coverage are playing an increasingly integral role in agriculture. By monitoring key data points – from soil moisture to crop maturity – farmers can optimize yields and improve overall efficiency.
“As demand for IoT connectivity continues to rise, the need for seamless global network coverage becomes essential. Only through the assurance of comprehensive global connectivity can the full potential of IoT applications be realized and leveraged to its maximum impact,” emphasizes Dr. Philipp Schulte, CEO G+D Mobile Security.
“Through our new partnership with Skylo, we can now further close this coverage gap by offering IoT services that utilize both mobile networks and GEO and LEO-based satellite networks. This combination of cellular terrestrial networks such as 5G with cellular satellite-based non-terrestrial networks will support seamless coverage of all IoT devices anywhere in the world.”
