The continuing potential of IoT as a business model has been underlined by two recent deals involving major players in both mobile and satcom markets, in this case China Mobile International Middle East company (CMI) and Yahsat.
Tuya Smart, a global IoT development platform service provider, and CMI announced this week that they had signed a strategic partnership to promote the deployment and implementation of IoT solutions and projects across the Middle East and Africa (MEA).
They also announced that they will together provide more technical support for smart environments such as smart business and smart cities.
Meanwhile Yahsat, the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider, has announced a minority investment in eSAT Global, an IoT connectivity solutions provider that, it says, will bring a new disruptive, low-cost, low latency, direct-to-satellite IoT service to the market.
In addition to Yahsat’s investment in eSAT, Thuraya, its mobility business, has signed a commercial agreement with eSAT, which will provide Thuraya with secure and long-term access to an end-to-end low power wide area network (LPWAN) IoT system and portfolio.
The partnership with eSAT will, the two companies say, enable Thuraya’s service partners to address critical IoT requirements in key segments, including smart agriculture, environmental monitoring, digital maritime and cold-chain tracking.
The new platform, which will leverage Thuraya’s existing and future MSS GEO satellites, will enable millions of devices to be serviced simultaneously and efficiently in a cost-effective way.
The service requires no terrestrial repeater infrastructure or backhaul, while providing seamless coverage across the globe. Devices equipped with the new eSAT communication module will be able to communicate with satellites using very low transmit power anywhere within Thuraya’s footprint.
Thuraya, in collaboration with eSAT, is planning to launch the IoT system and portfolio and commence commercial activities by Q4 2023.