Vodafone IoT & Skylo launch commercial satellite IoT

Vodafone IoT and Skylo have launched a commercial satellite Narrowband IoT service for enterprise customers following trials in the UK, Spain, Italy and Canada.

The offering combines Vodafone IoT's cellular network with Skylo's non-terrestrial network service, allowing connected devices to switch between terrestrial and satellite coverage using a Vodafone global SIM. It is available to both new and existing Vodafone IoT customers.

The launch moves the service from pilot testing into commercial deployment after trials covering applications such as remote storage tank monitoring, micromobility and e-bikes. It is aimed at businesses operating assets in areas where mobile coverage is limited or inconsistent.

According to the companies, the service is based on 3GPP standards, meaning it can work with existing cellular networks, devices and SIM-based services. That removes the need for separate satellite-specific hardware in some deployments and lets customers manage cellular and satellite connections through a single platform.

The hybrid service will be managed through Vodafone IoT's Managed Connectivity Platform, which connects more than 240 million devices globally. The platform is designed to let customers oversee connections across terrestrial and satellite networks in the same way.

Coverage gaps

The companies are targeting sectors where connected assets often move beyond traditional network footprints or operate in remote locations, including asset tracking, logistics, maritime, agriculture, mining and remote energy infrastructure.

For those users, the main commercial case is service continuity rather than replacing mobile networks outright. Satellite links can extend coverage into blackspots and remote areas where terrestrial infrastructure is unavailable or uneconomic to build.

The agreement also reflects a wider shift in the connectivity market as mobile operators and satellite companies seek closer integration. Rather than offering satellite as a separate service with its own devices and management tools, providers are increasingly trying to make it part of mainstream mobile connectivity.

Skylo said its non-terrestrial network service is already deployed in more than 41 countries and supports millions of devices across consumer, enterprise and IoT use cases. The company works with multiple satellite infrastructure partners, including Viasat/Inmarsat, EchoStar, Ligado, TerreStar and Space42.

Vodafone IoT, which operates in more than 180 countries and works with more than 760 networks, is using that footprint to offer the service to multinational customers seeking a single approach to device connectivity across markets.

Erik Brenneis, CEO of Vodafone IoT, said: "Integrating satellite connectivity directly into our cellular estate is a gamechanger for enterprise operations. Moving to a full commercial launch with Skylo allows us to offer our customers truly ubiquitous connectivity. Whether that's tracking supply chains across continents or monitoring utilities in unreachable locations, businesses can count on Vodafone IoT for continuous, resilient connectivity wherever they need it.

"This is only the beginning of our hybrid cellular-satellite journey, and we look forward to connecting more customers, in more countries, on more networks."

The service is intended to support devices that need low-bandwidth, wide-area connections rather than high-throughput satellite links. Narrowband IoT is commonly used for sensors, trackers and monitoring equipment that send small amounts of data over long periods while conserving power.

That makes the model relevant for industrial and transport applications where battery life, cost and geographic reach matter more than speed. It also places the product in a growing segment of the satellite market focused on connecting machines rather than people.

Parthsarathi Trivedi, CEO and co-founder of Skylo, said: "Bringing commercial NTN service to Vodafone IoT customers makes satellite a standard part of their connectivity, not a separate network to manage.

"By working together, NTN becomes a seamless extension of the mobile network - standards-based, integrated through a single Vodafone SIM, and ready to solve real-world commercial needs today. That's what the standardised sky looks like: operators bringing terrestrial and satellite networks together as one, so customers can focus on running their business, not their connectivity."