Wyld Networks has announced the availability of its new range of low-power, sensor-to-satellite terminals and modules that make it possible to provide uninterrupted connectivity along entire supply chains, where there is no alterative network coverage. The Wyld Connect devices transfer data directly to terrestrial networks or through Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites as a result of partnership with Eutelsat. With 100 percent global coverage across air, sea, road and rail, producers, manufacturers, logistics providers and other parties in the supply chain can receive valuable insight to deliver an improved customer experience, operational efficiency and significant cost savings. The full sensor-to-satellite service will be available in the second half of 2022.
The Wyld Connect terminal can connect directly to existing sensors and asset tracking devices, while the small modules can be fully integrated into new IoT sensors as an embedded solution. By using the LoRaWAN®, low power wide area network technology, smart supply chain IoT applications can be deployed globally using terrestrial or satellite connectivity at very low cost. Sensors can be powered by batteries with a lifetime of up to ten years and data is delivered through Wyld’s cloud-based Fusion platform, which also allows IoT sensors to be registered, configured, authenticated and managed remotely.
“The process of bringing products from raw materials to shelves and showrooms with as little waste and as much efficiency as possible is a massive challenge and supply chains are under pressure to work more productively and intelligently,” said Alastair Williamson, CEO at Cambridge-based Wyld Networks. “But smart supply chains are being held back by the lack of ubiquitous global connectivity. With an estimated 15% of the earth’s surface covered by existing mobile networks, low earth orbiting satellites provide the low-cost solution needed to catapult supply chain IoT growth around the world.”
Wyld is already attracting the attention of the supply chain industry and is partnering with TrakAssure to integrate Wyld Connect into TrakAssure’s asset tracking IoT sensors for supply chain ecosystems. Research from Gartner2) forecasts that $33 billion will be spent on asset tracking in logistics and supply chain in 2025 globally; up from $10 billion in 2020.
In addition to partnering with Eutelsat to provide LoRaWAN coverage via its low earth orbiting satellites, Wyld is also partnering with leading terrestrial LoRaWAN network providers including American Tower and Senet.
“Existing low power wide area networks such as LoRaWAN are ideal to connect low power supply chain assets and sensors that don’t need to send much data, but they currently rely on a limited terrestrial infrastructure,” said Luc Perard, Senior Vice President, IoT Business at Eutelsat. “Wyld’s new sensor-to-satellite LoRaWAN terminals and modules now make it possible to harness our network of LEO satellites to deliver low-cost, hybrid terrestrial and satellite connectivity over 100% of the earth’s surface, which is a game changer for the future of global smart supply chains.”
