Particle by Digi has added satellite connectivity to its M635e cellular IoT module after the device received certification from satellite network operator Skylo.
The certification validates the M635e for interoperability with Skylo’s standards-based Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN), giving developers a route to combine terrestrial cellular connectivity with satellite communications in connected devices.
The module supports LTE-M, dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy alongside Skylo’s NTN service. It can use cellular networks for routine data transmission, firmware updates and fleet management, before switching to satellite when a device moves outside terrestrial coverage.
Particle said the combination is intended to maintain communications with remote assets, including by transmitting alerts, sensor data and status updates when cellular networks are unavailable.
“Satellite connectivity has long been the missing piece for truly global IoT deployments,” said Mike Rohrmoser, Vice-President at Particle by Digi. “With the Particle M635e achieving Skylo certification, we’re giving developers a production-ready path to build devices that work everywhere, not just where cellular towers exist.”
Skylo’s certification programme tests devices, modules and platforms for interoperability with its NTN service. For OEMs using the M635e and supplied antenna, Particle said the certification can also provide a route to their own Skylo certification through a product-equivalency process.
The move comes as satellite operators increasingly seek to extend cellular networks into areas where terrestrial infrastructure is unavailable or uneconomic. Standards-based NTN technology is designed to allow satellite connectivity to operate as an extension of mobile networks rather than as a separate communications system.
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