Inmarsat Boosts IoT Connectivity Through the Elera Network

Inmarsat, a global leader in mobile satellite communications, has announced its new Elera satellite network service for the Internet of Things (ioT) connectivity.

Elera expands the company’s current L-band satellite services to provide a narrowband network suited for IoT-based use cases.

“Elera is perfectly suited to the needs of the connected IoT world,” Rajeev Suri, CEO of Inmarsat, stated. “Global reach, extraordinary resilience, faster speeds, smaller and lower cost terminals are all part of ensuring that we remain ahead of others in meeting the needs of our customers.”

As well as new low-cost terminals, Inmarsat has stated that it will be able to deliver L-band speeds up to 1.7Mbps. Customer trials in commercial aviation are scheduled to start during the course of 2022.

To further enhance the Elera network, the company is launching two new I-6 satellites, the first of which to be launched by the end of 2021. Inmarsat has stated that the L-band capacity on each I-6 satellite will deliver 50 percent more capacity per beam, compared to Inmarsat’s 4th generation spacecraft.

Inmarsat considers Elera to be a “key component” of its new recently-announced Orchestra network, which combines GEO, LEO, and 5G networks into one offering.

Orchestra, launched last July, will combine Inmarsat’s existing GEO GX and L-band satellites with the company’s existing 150-175 LEO satellites. 5G, on the other hand, will add capacity to ports, airports, and sea canals.

“Elera is the exciting vision of how Inmarsat is planning to transform the capabilities offered to IoT and mobility customers for years to come and confirms our long-term commitment to L-band services. We will be sharing further detail on these innovations with our partner community in the coming months and continue our program of announcements as we achieve major milestones.” Suri added.

Inmarsat is taking great strides to enhance efficiency and move towards its goal of a more customer-centric culture.  The move to create and manufacture Elera is a big step in the right direction, especially to the clients they serve in the aviation, maritime, and government sectors.


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