Telenor IoT and satellite operator Sateliot have formed a partnership to provide seamless connectivity between terrestrial and satellite networks for Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) devices. The collaboration uses a low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation to expand coverage to remote areas.

The system is based on the 3GPP Release 17 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) standard. This allows standard NB-IoT devices to connect to satellites without requiring proprietary hardware, custom antennas, or special firmware.

Initial field tests conducted in Spain demonstrated that Telenor IoT SIM cards could maintain reliable connections to Sateliot’s satellite network for extended periods. The companies plan to expand these tests to several other countries to validate the service for global use.

The partnership targets industries that operate in areas without mobile coverage, such as maritime shipping, remote agriculture, and energy infrastructure. Potential applications include tracking cargo at sea, monitoring soil conditions on remote farms, and managing utility pipelines.

“This partnership aims to enable global, resilient IoT solutions that combine terrestrial mobile coverage with satellite connectivity everywhere else,” said Jaume Sanpera, CEO of Sateliot. The companies stated that the technology removes the historical need for expensive, satellite-specific hardware.