Actility and Inmarsat have partnered to deploy the first LoRaWAN network with global coverage.
The IoT network is powered by Actility’s LPWA platform ThingPark, which provides LoRaWAN connectivity on the ground and uses Inmarsat’s satellite connectivity as the network backbone.
The integrated platform is an end-to-end solution that builds on a partnership the two companies announced last year to combine their assets.
It allows site-specific data to be transmitted to the cloud, which is then analysed to provide insights and support decision-making.
The network is intended for use in industrial applications such as asset tracking, agribusiness and oil and gas, the two companies said.
Early uses of the network have been announced already, including tracking the movements of livestock at a ranch in Australia, monitoring water levels and soil moisture in Malaysia and monitoring oil platform processes in remote locations.
“These three early applications are indicative of the industrial IoT market in general: businesses don’t need an off-the-shelf IoT solution for Agribusiness or Asset Tracking; they need a specific solution for a specific problem,” said Paul Gudonis, President, Inmarsat Enterprise.
“Through our collaboration with Actility, we have the building blocks to tailor solutions for each specific opportunity, no matter where it is in the world.”
[Read more: The compelling business case for investing in nationwide IoT networks, by Actility CEO Mike Mulica]
Telcos are also looking at LoRa as one of the key technologies for their IoT strategies.
Jersey’s JT was the latest operator to reveal it is building a LoRa network earlier this month.