Vodafone and Intelsat Expand IoT Partnership to Provide Additional Services

Last month, I wrote an article that dissected satellite connectivity-related data from intelligence firm ABI Research; therein, statistics about how the satellite IoT (satIoT) connectivity market has been projected “to surpass 26 million connections by 2030, representing a forecasted market size of $4 billion. (For context, previous numbers had estimated it closer to $2.9 billion. Both are colossal-in-nature numbers, to be sure; this just furthers experts’ takes on the value of satellite IoT implementations.) Read that full story here.

Additionally, IoT Evolution World is no stranger to satellite connectivity, in general. On the subject, we’ve published news like:

Today, let’s add another story to that list:

Just this morning, two companies — Vodafone and Intelsat — announced an extension of their existing partnership.

Extending towards what, exactly?

Namely, to offer an even wider IoT-powered brushstroke of coverage (so to speak) of both temporary and on-the-move satellite connectivity services to businesses that may operate in harder-to-reach areas and even disaster zones like towns and cities caught in the path of wildfires and hurricanes, for example.

According to their official announcement, this expanded agreement “will complement Vodafone’s terrestrial networks by providing enterprises with broadband connectivity in remote and underserved areas.” By adding Intelsat’s Flex portfolio — including its Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites — to its own list of offerings for both public and private sectors on a global scale, Vodafone can provide two types of secure, reliable and easy-to-use satellite connectivity products: Communications-on-the-Move (COTM), which uses a vehicle-mounted antenna, and Communications-on-the-Pause (COTP) connectivity, i.e. a compact satellite terminal. These, as well as Vodafone’s own direct-to-smartphone connectivity that uses Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology, as well.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Connectivity truly is the lifeblood of IoT.

Furthermore, Intelsat’s service will be used to support Vodafone’s charitable arm, Vodafone Foundation, with its connected health and education initiatives across Europe and Africa. Vodafone Foundation is also on standby to offer help to non-governmental orgs (NGOs), official government agencies and relief agencies in their response to environmental and humanitarian disaster situations.

“Vodafone’s agreement with Intelsat adds depth and breadth to our global network,” stated Marika Auramo, CEO of Vodafone Business. “With these new services, we can provide additional connectivity and resilience to customers in some of the hardest to reach places, whether they’re on the move, or need to quickly establish communications following an environmental or humanitarian disaster.”

Jean Philippe Gillet, SVP of Media, Mobility and Networks at Intelsat, added to Auramo’s statement.

“The welfare of communities and their citizens is increasingly linked to the ability to access reliable connectivity services,” Gillet explained. “The goal of our Flex services is to make it easier for our customers to leverage the reach and reliability of Intelsat’s network to deliver connectivity wherever they may operate, be it charitable initiatives like the Vodafone Foundation or connectivity for global enterprises, industrial operations, or rapid-response organizations.”

Learn more about satellite connectivity and plenty of other Internet of Things-powered solutions at IoT Evolution Expo 2025, which will be taking place from February 11-13, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Part of the #TECHSUPERSHOW experience, this event combines educational conference programming with a robust exhibit hall, networking events and other activities, bringing together buyers and providers of business technology products and services that are huge for IoT.