Earlier today, I covered news regarding Skylo Technologies and emnify over on IoT Evolution. (Read here.) In short, emnify’s new IoT SuperNetwork SatPlus package harnesses Skylo’s non-terrestrial network (NTN) satellite service, enabling IoT device manufacturers, OEMs and other providers to add a new level of service made possible by satellite connectivity failover for devices outside of (or disconnected from) cellular coverage. This ensures the connectivity flows uninterrupted, even in incredibly remote areas.
Our team also penned a handful of articles regarding Blues, its teams simplifying wireless communications on their IIoT-powered mission to transform physical products into intelligent, data-driven services via cellular, satellite, LoRa and Wi-Fi. Coverage therein included Blues’ respective IoT partnerships with Positive Sum, RAKwireless and 1NCE, as well as the expansion of its connectivity solutions in EMEA. (Read more through each of those links.)
So, Skylo in one hand, Blues in the other.
Let’s put them together.
Late last month, Skylo and Blues announced a strategic partnership. The objective is to launch Starnote, an add-on extension to Blues’ flagship product, Notecard. (Notecard was also covered in detail in our EMEA-related piece, shared above.)
The long-story-short version: Starnote will enable satellite connectivity for Blues’ customers, and it is set to achieve this through a streamlined cost model and, quote, “unparalleled developer accessibility.”
A few specifics:
- Starnote provides customers with a reliable, cost-efficient model that acts as a backup satellite connectivity option, should customers’ devices go beyond the reach of cellular coverage. (Not unlike the Skylo + emnify story, by the way).
- Starnote seamlessly extends the connection to a customer’s existing (and installed) Notecard, providing fallback to devices connected primarily via Wi-Fi, LTE Cat-M, Cat-1, NB-IoT or GPRS.
- With Starnote, customers do not pay satellite-related charges when a device is a.) inactive, or b.) is operating in an area with ample cellular coverage. (Thus eliminating businesses’ needs to invest in labor or systems to monitor when devices are active or inactive for cost-saving purposes.)
- Each Starnote module is also bundled with pre-paid data to cover for at least one year (though beyond that will depend upon the application itself).
Per Skylo’s Tarun Gupta, the company’s Chief Product Officer:
“Skylo is honored to partner with Blues to expand intuitive and affordable satellite connectivity. By incorporating satellite data into its regular IoT devices, Blues is able to bring an unprecedented amount of innovation into the IoT ecosystem."
And per Ray Ozzie, CEO of Blues:
“For developers and enterprises everywhere, satellite connectivity is now a viable option. Starnote is breaking new ground by providing continuous satellite coverage with low data usage costs and no monthly usage fees or minimums. Historically, high pricing and high monthly minimums have kept satellite coverage out of consideration for low-cost, high-volume products. By partnering with Skylo, Blues will fundamentally change the landscape, setting the stage for remarkable growth.”
“Starnote is so affordable and easy to use,” Ozzie added, “that any developer can now develop fixed or mobile solutions for monitoring and remote control without worry about coverage in remote areas. By using the Notecard's simple API, customer data will automatically transit on the best and least expensive technology available at that moment: Wi-Fi, cellular, or satellite.”
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
