The global satellite IoT communications sector is experiencing steady growth, with over 4.5 million subscribers in 2022. Forecasts indicate that this number will reach 23.9 million units by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate of 39.6 percent. Currently, only 10 percent of the Earth’s surface has access to terrestrial connectivity services, highlighting the potential for satellite-based IoT communications.
Satellite connectivity is a valuable complement to terrestrial networks, especially in remote areas. It is particularly advantageous for applications in agriculture, asset tracking, maritime and intermodal transportation, oil and gas industry exploration, utilities, construction, and government operations.
The satellite IoT market has attracted both established operators and emerging initiatives. The largest network operators are Iridium, Orbcomm, Inmarsat, and Globalstar. Iridium has the most subscribers, followed by Orbcomm, Inmarsat, and Globalstar.
In addition to these operators, there are several new initiatives in the market, such as Astrocast, AST SpaceMobile, CASC/CASIC, E-Space, Fleet Space Technologies, Hubble Network, Kepler Communications, Kineis, Ligado Networks, Lynk, Myriota, Omnispace, Skylo, Swarm Technologies, and Totum. Many of these initiatives are based on low-earth orbit nano satellite concepts.
These satellite IoT operators use various connectivity technologies, including proprietary satellite connectivity, terrestrial wireless IoT connectivity, and hybrid satellite-terrestrial connectivity. Collaborations between satellite and mobile operators to explore hybrid connectivity opportunities are becoming more common.
The report provides a 360-degree overview of the satellite IoT communications ecosystem, reviews the strategies of 44 satellite IoT operators, discusses the impact of LEO nano satellite constellations, and offers market forecasts and trends. It also includes company profiles and strategies of satellite operators from Europe, North America, China, and the rest of the world.
Overall, the satellite IoT communications market is poised for significant growth in the coming years, driven by the need for connectivity in remote areas and the emergence of new satellite initiatives.