Inmarsat has launched the Elera IoT platform of connectivity services and ecosystems to provide businesses, developers, OEMs, IoT-as-a-service providers and distributors with satellite connectivity tools.

It is built on the connectivity backbone of Inmarsat Elera, a network for the IoT and secure narrowband connectivity.

Elera IoT’s range of global, fully mobile and easy-to-use connectivity services are suitable for all industries and locations, helping businesses fuel their IoT progress and innovations. Businesses can track assets with small form factor IsatData Pro (IDP), monitor and control with BGAN M2M, or create their own IoT ecosystems or commercial offerings, using Inmarsat’s leasing services. In addition, Inmarsat is also developing IoT connectivity services and collaborating with Orbcomm on OGx, an IoT services offering combining high bandwidth data packets with low-cost terminals, which are expected to launch in 2022.

“We’re pleased to expand our long-term, successful partnership with Inmarsat as they launch Elera IoT, which provides the reliability, longevity and ubiquity to support Orbcomm’s next-generation OGx service,” said Christian Allred, Orbcomm’s EVP of global sales. “We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Inmarsat to deliver best-in-class IoT satellite products and services to our global customers that enable nearly every type of industrial asset to be smart and remotely connected.”

Demonstrating Inmarsat’s leasing capabilities, Elera IoT is also providing the connectivity fabric for IoT ecosystem providers including Orbcomm, Hiber and Skylo. In addition, the Inmarsat ASP application and provider programme is the marketplace for IoT serviuces that work anywhere. Integrated with the Elera network, the ASP providers deliver services for the agriculture, electrical utilities, mining, oil and gas, and transport and logistics sectors.

“Covid-19 has demonstrated the importance of industrial IoT to the global production and supply chains,” said Mike Carter, president of Inmarsat Enterprise. “Eighty-four per cent of businesses that Inmarsat spoke with in our recent research have sped up deployment of IoT, or plan to, because of Covid. Those that have already done so have fared better during the pandemic. As businesses plot their route in the new normal, the rate of IoT adoption is only set to increase.”

The Elera IoT platform is primed to support the entire IoT delivery ecosystem with connectivity that works anywhere. It provides IoT tools to empower businesses producing and distributing goods across global supply chains, as well as the technology companies and providers servicing them.