Businesses with equipment deployed in hard-to-reach or highly mobile locations often face challenges when standard cellular networks are unavailable, leaving critical operations at risk of losing connectivity. Addressing this gap, Blues introduced its Starnote for Iridium solution during The Things Conference in Amsterdam, offering a new approach for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to achieve global IoT coverage. By enabling affordable satellite connectivity as a fallback option, Blues aims to help OEMs maintain constant communication with remote assets, increasing reliability in environments where even the most robust cellular infrastructure falls short.
How Does Starnote for Iridium Address Connectivity Challenges?
Unlike previous products that depended solely on cellular networks, Starnote for Iridium complements Blues’ Cellular or WiFi Notecards by seamlessly switching to satellite IoT connectivity when traditional networks fail. Earlier attempts at satellite IoT solutions in the industry focused primarily on large-scale industrial applications, often entailing high costs and inflexible subscriptions. The freshly introduced Starnote for Iridium targets a wider range of businesses, providing an option for intermittent, cost-effective connectivity where usage-based pricing can reduce operational expense.
What Makes the Solution Distinct in the Current Market?
The global satellite IoT sector continues its rapid growth, with projections indicating an increase from $4.2 billion in 2023 to $12.2 billion by 2030. However, earlier solutions struggled with expensive monthly subscriptions, even if devices rarely required connectivity. Starnote for Iridium mitigates these issues, offering OEMs a practical plug-and-play accessory that removes the need for building complex hardware or managing intricate certifications. Brandon Satrom, SVP of Product & Experience at Blues, explained,
“With Starnote for Iridium industries such as energy, transportation and logistics, and commercial equipment manufacturing can now confidently deploy and scale their connected products to anywhere on Earth without taking on the burden of building it themselves, navigating new certifications and managing expensive satellite IoT subscriptions.”
How Do Key Industry Players View the Development?
The partnership between Blues and Iridium is framed as a step toward improving access and affordability in the satellite IoT market, especially for deployments where reliability cannot be compromised. Iridium’s established reputation as a provider of truly global, weather-resilient satellite services makes it a strategic partner for extending Blues’ Starnote product line. Tim Last, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Iridium, commented,
“This partnership is changing the game for IoT and unlocking an expanded world of new possibilities for solutions that can depend on Iridium’s reliable, weather-resilient, and truly global connectivity no matter where they’re deployed.”
Earlier reports on satellite IoT solutions have focused on the technology’s exclusivity and high barriers to entry due to technical and financial constraints. While past launches emphasized expanding coverage, they often did not address the flexibility or cost considerations now prioritized by Blues’ approach. The company’s move to integrate Iridium into its Starnote accessories signals a shift toward making satellite IoT more accessible for a broader spectrum of industries, unlike previous efforts focused on enterprise-level operations with larger budgets.
Reliable satellite IoT solutions continue to gain significance as industries expand into areas lacking stable cellular infrastructure. Businesses looking to maximize uptime, reduce maintenance costs, and leverage connected services must weigh the cost-benefit of flexible satellite solutions like Starnote for Iridium. The shift to usage-based, plug-and-play accessories represents a notable shift from long-term contractual commitments, opening possibilities for companies traditionally limited by technical and financial hurdles. Developers or OEMs considering global IoT deployments should assess how fallback satellite connectivity can minimize service disruptions, optimize remote asset performance, and support evolving business models tied to connected products.
