Vodafone IoT and Skylo to test satellite connectivity for IoT devices

Staff Reporter — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:57:59 +0000

Vodafone IoT and US satellite connectivity specialist Skylo Technologies,will trial a new way of keeping connected devices online in areas with limited or no mobile coverage.

The idea is to combine Vodafone’s mobile network with satellite technolog to keep IoT connected even in remote locations. A full commercial service will follow if the trial is successful,

Skylo offers satellite connectivity for connected devices. Its network works with standard IoT hardware and uses existing mobile standards, making it easier for mobile operators to add satellite coverage without major changes to devices.

Skylo was founded by a group of engineers and scientists from MIT and Stanford in the US, and a deployment team in Finland and India.

Skylo’s satellite network covers 36 countries and around 70 million square kilometres to extend connectivity beyond mobile masts.

Vodafone IoT chief executive Erik Brenneis said the partnership was another step towards global IoT connectivity, improving reliability and new types of connected services. Skylo CEO and co-founder Parthsarathi Trivedi said the trial shows that “anywhere connectivity” is something that is now ready to be used at scale.

Erik Brenneis: another step towards global IoT

Under the trial, IoT devices wtih Vodafone SIM will switch automatically between the mobile network and satellite network when mobile coverage is unavailable.

The technology is aimed at sectors such as asset tracking, energy services, environmental monitoring and fleet management, where devices are deployed in rural or remote locations.

Connected devices can be managedthrough Vodafone IoT’s existing managed connectivity platform, whether the devices are using mobile or satellite connectivity.

Connectivity leaders team up to boost IoT over satellite comms

Staff Reporter — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 10:16:31 +0000

BICS and Skylo have teamed up to boost global IoT connectivity using satellites by integratng Skylo’s satellite network with BICS’ IPX infrastructure, enabling direct NB-IoT-to-satellite connections for enterprises.

Skylo Technologies is a global NTN service provider based in Mountain View, CA, offering a service that allows smartphone and IoT cellular devices to connect directly over existing satellites

Skylo will also extend IoT connectivity to enterprise customers through mobile operators and MVNOs.

BICS says demand for reliable IoT connectivity is rising as the global device count is expected to double by 2030 with industries like utilities, retail, and transportation relying on seamless data transmission, BICS and Skylo’s partnership offers a plug-and-play IoT solution compliant with 3GPP standards. BICS’ SIM for Things simplifies IoT application deployment across its network.

Tarun Gupta, CPO and Co-Founder of Skylo, highlights the importance of seamless connectivity, while Luc Vidal-Madjar, Head of IoT and M2M business at BICS, emphasizes the collaboration’s role in bridging digital gaps. ABI Research projects significant growth in global 5G NTN service revenue, highlighting the potential of satellite-enabled IoT solutions.]

Skylo – Mobile News

Vodafone IoT and Skylo to test satellite connectivity for IoT devices

Connectivity leaders team up to boost IoT over satellite comms