Deutsche Telekom, Murata, and Skylo Technologies Announce Satellites NB-IoT NTN Early Adopter Program for Europe

We're excited to announce the launch of an Early Adopter Program (EAP) for Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) NTN service in the European market, in partnership with Deutsche Telekom (DT) and Murata.  This initiative marks a significant milestone in the advancement of IoT satellite connectivity as it is the first to allow developers access to 3GPP Release17-enabled modules, supplied through Murata, to develop their own IoT solutions.

The EAP Program is set to commence in December 2023 and will run through June 2024. During this period, selected organizations and innovators across Europe will have exclusive access to Skylo, DT, and Murata’s solutions, enabling them to experience the benefits of enhanced connectivity for their individual IoT applications before the general market rollout.

NB-IoT is a low-power, wide-area (LPWA) networking technology, and by adding NTN, is designed to support a vast range of IoT applications, making it ideal for industries such as agriculture, logistics, utilities, oil and drilling, maritime, and many others. With its long battery life, extensive coverage, and cost-effective deployment, NB-IoT enables businesses to connect and manage IoT devices in even the most remote and challenging environments.

Key highlights of theEarly Adopter Program include:

●      Early Access: Early development access to the first 3GPP Release-17 standards-based NTN chipset and a global satellite network.

●      State-of-the-ArtHardware: Participants will receive a Murata Type 1SC NB-IoT hardware module based on Sony Altair Alt1250 chipset (3GPP Rel.17 5G standard) optimized for performance and efficiency.

●      ConnectivityServices: Access to Deutsche Telekom's robust NB-IoT cellular network and Skylo’s non-terrestrial network, providing reliable and secure data transmission across Europe.

●      DedicatedSupport: A support team will assist participants in integrating NB-IoT NTN into their existing infrastructure and provide technical guidance throughout the program.

●      Customized UseCases: Participants can tailor NB-IoT NTN solutions to their specific needs, whether it's remote asset monitoring, environmental sensing, or predictive maintenance.

●      Community: Access to useful learnings from other developers working on non-terrestrial network solutions.

●      Award Ceremony: Participants will be invited to attend an award ceremony in Q2-24 to announce winners in various pre-selected categories.

Commenting on the partnership and Early Adopter Program, Prasanna Iyengar, Sr. Director of Product Management for Skylo Technologies, stated, "We are thrilled to collaborate with Deutsche Telekom on this exciting initiative. Together, we are poised to revolutionize the way businesses in Europe leverage IoT-over-NTN technology to improve efficiency and drive innovation. The Early Adopter Program is a unique opportunity for organizations to be at the forefront of the IoT revolution and harness the power of satellite-driven NB-IoT."

Andreas Reich, responsible for products and portfolio at Deutsche Telekom IoT, added, "As a leader in telecommunications, Deutsche Telekom is committed to providing our customers with the most advanced technological possibilities to reliably connect theirIoT devices worldwide. Our partnership with Skylo allows us to extend our reach into non-terrestrial networks to close remaining connectivity gaps. The EarlyAdopter Program is an excellent opportunity for developers to jointly explore the latest 5G standard (3GPP Rel. 17) to realize novel use cases and exploit new business areas."

Interested parties are invited to apply for the SatelliteNB-IoT Early Adopter Program by visiting: https://iot.telekom.com/en/networks-tariffs/satellite-iot/early-adopter-program-contact. Spaces in the program are limited, so early registration is recommended.

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