The Internet of Things industry is accelerating towards a hybrid connectivity model in which low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites are increasingly deployed alongside, rather than as a replacement for, terrestrial networks, according to executives speaking at an IoT Insider webinar that is now available to watch on demand.
The discussion, sponsored by Globalstar, brought together satellite operators, connectivity platform providers and Earth observation specialists to assess the commercial and technical maturity of LEO-enabled IoT.
While speakers broadly agreed that satellite networks are extending the reach of connected devices into remote and infrastructure-poor regions, they stressed that the technology’s long-term impact will depend on deeper integration with cellular systems, improved orchestration of multi-network devices and continued progress towards common standards.
LEO satellites, which operate significantly closer to Earth than traditional geostationary systems, have become a focal point for investment as enterprises seek to extend IoT coverage into environments where terrestrial networks are either unreliable or economically unviable. These include oceans, deserts, mountainous terrain and sparsely populated rural areas, where the cost of building and maintaining cellular infrastructure remains prohibitive.
Romain Durand, Research and Innovation Director at Transatel, said connectivity providers increasingly aim to “abstract the complexity of underlying network technology” from end users, allowing organisations deploying connected devices to avoid having to manage individual network selection or integration decisions. He argued that satellite connectivity should be viewed as a complement to terrestrial networks rather than a competing infrastructure layer, particularly as IoT deployments expand globally.
Martin Jefferson, Global Solution Architect at Globalstar, added that advances in software-defined radios and embedded processing are reducing the historical distinction between satellite and cellular devices. He said modern IoT modules can increasingly support multiple connectivity modes within a single device, enabling automatic switching between networks based on signal availability, cost and operational priorities.
Beyond connectivity infrastructure, the discussion also examined how IoT data is converging with Earth observation analytics. Donald Osborne, Chief Executive of EarthDaily, said combining satellite imagery with sensor data creates a more contextualised understanding of physical environments, from agricultural productivity to environmental change and disaster response. He described growing demand for “ground truth” data from IoT devices to validate and refine large-scale satellite models.
The panel also addressed longer-term structural issues, including orbital congestion, spectrum scarcity and sustainability concerns linked to the rapid expansion of LEO constellations. While participants acknowledged the risks associated with increasing satellite density, they noted that redundancy within constellations and global coordination mechanisms currently mitigate most operational vulnerabilities.
Cost remains a defining constraint. Although satellite deployment and device integration are still relatively expensive compared with terrestrial alternatives, speakers suggested that competition, scale and standardisation could gradually narrow the gap. Several drew parallels with earlier technologies, such as Wi-Fi, which evolved from optional capability to embedded infrastructure over time.
The webinar also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence at the edge, particularly in managing intermittent connectivity. Speakers suggested that future IoT devices will increasingly make autonomous decisions about when to transmit, compress or prioritise data depending on network conditions and operational urgency.
The IoT Insider webinar is now available to watch on demand. You can watch it by clicking on the link below.
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