IoT & M2M Connectivity
Taking our customers terrestrial applications and
making them work anywhere on Earth.
We design and build Satellite IoT devices complete with airtime and lifetime support.
If you need to capture sensor data from remote places – deserts, forests, oceans, mountain
tops – we can help.
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Satellite IoT: Ubiquitous Coverage
Reliable and continuous connectivity is crucial for the success of IoT deployments as big data is at its core. But with LTE coverage gaps throughout America, 75% of businesses face connectivity issues during IoT project trials. Even excluding Alaska, 11% of the nation’s road miles lack 4G LTE coverage, and 16% of square miles have no LTE or only subsidized coverage. With satellite IoT, previously unreachable or unmonitored assets, such as pipelines, shipping containers or wildlife can be connected, monitored and managed in real-time, ensuring greater visibility and control.
Ground Control specialize in helping businesses build and extend their network reach. From hardware and airtime to remote device and data management, we have the solutions you need to ensure your project runs smoothly.
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Selecting the right Satellite IoT Hardware & Airtime
These questions are aimed at helping you narrow down your options, but if you require additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help.
E.g. telemetry, sensor data. A few bytes to a few kilobytes.
For low volumes of data, messaging services are highly cost effective. (If you’re not familiar with messaging services, it’s not dissimilar to how SMS works but over satellite). You should investigate Iridium SBD and Inmarsat IDP for critical applications, or cubesats.
E.g. audio, images, log files. Kilobytes to a few megabytes.
For medium volume use cases, you should consider Iridium Certus 100 (which offers both IP- and message-based options) and Inmarsat BGAN M2M.
E.g. video. Megabytes to gigabytes.
If you need to transmit high volumes of IoT data, it’s worth exploring Starlink or VSAT solutions.


YES, MY DEVICE DOES
Great, edge computing, reporting by exception and condition-based logging will help reduce the amount of data you need to transmit, potentially opening up messaging services for your application.

NO, MY DEVICE DOESN’T
You could consider a communications device which has edge processing capability such as the RockREMOTE and the RockFLEET.
If it’s essential that your data is delivered in close to real-time, you need to consider the network maturity, visibility and latency. Iridium-powered devices have the lowest latency and the broadest visibility. Inmarsat BGAN M2M and ScadaSAT by TSAT also offer very low latency and very high reliability of data delivery.
If you can wait for your data (i.e. store and forward), you can optimize your delivery, and look at networks that have fewer satellites in orbit (newer LEO constellations like Swarm, for example).
If you operate national critical infrastructure, you may need something with zero reliance on public infrastructure. Have a look at the SCADASat, which gives you a private satellite network.

You either need an auto-pointing device to connect with a geostationary satellite (such as Inmarsat) or – and it’s usually a better option – an omni-directional antenna which speaks to a satellite constellation in low earth orbit (such as Iridium) which will retain constant contact with your things as they move.
Only established low earth orbit satellite constellations work well in the polar regions so you’re looking at Iridium.

Data security is a priority but not necessarily a concern. Satellite data traffic is already relatively secure meeting most military and government security standards. But you may want to consider a public static LPS and/or completely configurable firewalls, to assist your data getting from A to B.
If your application requires higher levels of security, it’s worth exploring data encryption options. You can encrypt data prior to transmission, send over satellite link and then decrypt once landed. With Ground Control you can also set up a VPN from our data centre direct to your server, creating a secure, virtual tunnel.
If you require a completely private, secure network have a look at the SCADASat. This service offers customers their own dedicated frequency on the space segment – an extremely secure solution with relatively low OPEX costs. For Inmarsat and Iridium traffic, you can consider MPLS installation or leased-lines offering a private network solution.

IT’S AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3.
Working with Ground Control
Whether you want to self-serve from beginning to end, or tap into Ground Control’s 20-plus years’ of experience, we’ve got you covered.
1. Popular Satellite IoT Hardware
Leveraging the Iridium satellite network, the RockBLOCK 9603 is a compact, low cost, low power satellite modem. An ideal choice for remote monitoring applications in harsh environments. Built to withstand extreme weather conditions, the Hughes 9502 series can provide secure data transmission in remote locations. The RockREMOTE offers a dependable and adaptable dual-mode, LTE-Satellite communication solution that utilizes all-IP technology to cater to M2M/IoT applications - fixed or mobile.
3. Manage Devices and Data Remotely
Our comprehensive data and device management platform, Cloudloop, enables you to securely manage all devices across deployments and Iridium and Inmarsat networks, within a single window. With the platform, you can effortlessly activate and manage assets, gain valuable insights to optimise costs and identify issues early. We also offer well documented REST APIs, so you can ensure seamless integration with existing workflows.

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