Cloud giant AWS have partnered with Iridium to launch CloudConnect, a first of its kind cloud-based satellite network with global coverage for the Internet of Things (IoT) applications. With this product, both entities seek to enable the corporate users of AWS IoT services to reach out to more than 80% of places on the globe that lack cellular coverage.
According to AWS, enterprise customers are leveraging 5G, cloud connectivity and IoT to simplify application and networking benefits for their clients. They predict that a few years down the line, the percentage of IoT applications used will increase, boosting the dependencies on the cloud.
By launching CloudConnect with Iridium, AWS claim that they will cover every area bereft of IoT network and boost global cloud-IoT footprint of both entities. They say that with this product, cloud-native SMBs will not only be able to deploy their workload in the cloud but also access applications by leveraging Iridium’s satellite network.
Speaking about the move, Matt Desch, CEO at Iridium, commented:
Iridium CloudConnect will completely change the speed at which a satellite IoT solution can be deployed and will allow existing AWS customers to keep everything the same on the back end, while opening up the opportunity to quickly expand their coverage.
This is a major disruption for satellite IoT. Costs will drop, time to market will speed up, risk will be reduced.
Iridium say that the possibility of CloudConnect could be envisioned since they have a wide network of 66 crosslinked satellites. In a bid to make this alliance a success, Iridium say that they have invested USD 3 billion to upgrade their satellites as a part of their Iridium NEXT project.
Desch continued:
We’re really covering the whole planet … with terrestrial networks today it’s still only 10 percent or 20 percent” of the Earth.
Everybody today can connect pretty easily with very little effort. Now that Amazon has put our language into the cloud platform, they can extend their applications to the satellite realm.
In the race for cloud footprint, AWS are gaining more IoT share in the market with an alliance and product launch like this, just as Alibaba is with their myDevices partnership for the Internet of Things.