Satellite operator Eutelsat has signed a contract worth approximately US$100,000 (SEK 900,000) with Wyld Networks, to purchase five satellite IoT terminals for testing with its LEO network.
Eutelsat’s fleet of Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites, called ELO (Eutelsat LEO for Objects), will offer global IoT coverage enabling sensors to transmit data, irrespective of their location. Testing on the network aims to demonstrate complementarity between terrestrial networks and satellite technology.
The ELO nanosatellite constellation consists of a series of four initial satellites from Loft Orbital (ELO 1 and 2) and Clyde Space (ELO 3 and 4), expected to launch later in 2021 or in 2022. An ELO Alpha test satellite was already launched in April of this year to confirm the technical performance of the system.
If the new initiative proves successful Eutelsat says that other satellites will be added to the constellation, to reach a total of 25 operational satellites.
Wyld Networks will deliver the five new test terminals in Q4 2021, in addition to units previously delivered in Q2 2021, that support both satellite and terrestrial LPWA (low-power wide-area network) connectivity as part of the test phase for Eutelsat ELO.
“We are very pleased to be partnering with Eutelsat in this exciting programme. They are a leading global satellite operator and a key partner for us to bring our innovative product to the market,” said Alastair Williamson, CEO of Wyld Networks.
“There is a substantially growing demand for affordable satellite IoT connectivity in multiple markets from agriculture, utilities, maritime and the environment, which is supported by a Rethink Research report predicting that 30.3 million satellite IoT terminals will be deployed by 2025.”
