Next-gen satellite IoT data service simplifies connections
Satellite communications company Iridium has announced the service introduction of a two-way cloud-native networked data service optimized for use over Iridium Certus and designed to make it easier to add satellite connections to existing or new IoT solutions. Iridium Messaging Transport (IMT) provides an IP data transport service unique to the Iridium network, designed for small-to-moderate-sized messages supporting satellite IoT applications.
Integrated with Iridium CloudConnect and Amazon Web Services (AWS), the new service can reduce development costs and speed time to market for new Iridium Connected IoT devices, says the company. As a connectionless messaging service for Iridium Certus modules, IMT aligns with current established server-device message constructs using hubs, Pub/Sub or queues, depending on application platforms.
The IMT service can be used by a customer application that is ‘store and forward’ or has small amounts of data traffic that does not require a persistent connection between servers, utilizing an Iridium Certus terminal. Whether it’s machine-to-machine (M2M), e-mails, weather updates, transactions, or group communications, IMT enhances two-way messaging to and from anywhere in the world, says the company.
IMT is utilized with the Iridium CloudConnect model of server-side message processing, regardless of the underlying over-the-air and ground systems technologies and protocols. The Iridium CloudConnect service combines Iridium IoT capabilities with AWS cloud services extending customers’ IoT reach to the more than 85 percent of the earth that lacks terrestrial coverage.
IMT utilizes industry-standard protocols and technology for managing and delivering messages in the cloud, including MQTT, HTTPS and WebSocket (WSS). This, says the company, makes IMT an easier, faster, and less expensive protocol to develop with, supporting users with countless advantages to design applications that are scalable and easier to distribute to other platforms.
“The launch of Iridium Messaging Transport adds another powerful capability to the Iridium Certus portfolio and another value-added service for our partners and the growing IoT market,” says Bryan Hartin, executive vice president, sales and marketing, Iridium. “Our partners are excited about IMT as it will make it faster and easier for them to add Iridium satellite connectivity to new and existing solutions needed across a number of industries.”
IMT is currently available for the Iridium Certus 100 service with introduction on Iridium Certus 200, 350 and 700 planned for the first quarter of 2023.