Iridium, AWS team on satellite IoT solution

Technology News | September 27, 2018

By Rich Pell

Sensing / Conditioning Data Acquisition IoT Wireless Communications Software & Embedded tools Digital Signal Processing Memory & Data Storage RF transmission

Enabled by the company’s network of 66 cross-linked low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites, and planned for launch in 2019, the new Iridium CloudConnect service will make Iridium IoT services available with AWS IoT, extending the reach of AWS’s suite of services to the more than 80% of the Earth that lacks cellular coverage. According to the company, its customers will be able to take advantage of AWS IoT, while existing AWS customers will have a cost-effective way to expand their geographic IoT footprint to anywhere on the globe.

Described as a first for the satellite industry, AWS IoT will create a simplified process for companies to integrate Iridium’s satellite reach with AWS. Through this arrangement, says the company, customers will be able to reduce engineering efforts, lower fixed operating costs, and reduce time to develop new products and services.

“Iridium CloudConnect will completely change the speed at which a satellite IoT solution can be deployed and will allow existing AWS customers to keep everything the same on the back end, while opening up the opportunity to quickly expand their coverage,” says Iridium CEO Matt Desch. “This is a major disruption for satellite IoT. Costs will drop, time to market will speed up, risk will be reduced, and AWS IoT customers that choose Iridium CloudConnect can now enjoy true global connectivity for their solutions.”

With approximately 630,000 active devices as of June 30, 2018, the company’s IoT subscribers have grown at a compounded annual growth rate of approximately 19% over the last three years, the company says. Iridium is currently in the final stages of a $3 billion initiative to replace its entire original satellite constellation with new satellites, known as Iridium NEXT.

Iridium IoT
AWS IoT