Netmore Group has announced a strategic partnership with Kinéis, a European satellite operator, to integrate satellite connectivity into its existing LoRaWAN offerings. This development marks a significant shift in how Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) deployments are structured, effectively creating a hybrid terrestrial-satellite ecosystem. By combining Netmore’s established LPWAN infrastructure with Kinéis’s constellation of 25 satellites, the initiative aims to provide seamless connectivity for IoT devices that move beyond the reach of traditional terrestrial gateways.
Addressing the Coverage Limitations of Terrestrial IoT
The primary challenge for terrestrial LPWAN deployments has historically been the reliance on a fixed geographic footprint. While LoRaWAN is highly efficient for stationary sensors in urban or industrial environments, it becomes constrained when assets traverse remote regions, oceanic areas, or rural landscapes where the installation of terrestrial gateways is physically impossible or economically unviable.
Netmore’s decision to integrate Kinéis technology directly into its ThingPark platform is designed to overcome these geographic constraints. By automating the transition between terrestrial and satellite networks, the system ensures that IoT devices remain operational regardless of their proximity to traditional infrastructure. This removes the manual oversight previously required to manage dual-network devices, allowing for a more unified approach to asset management in challenging environments.
A Unified Platform for Hybrid Connectivity
What distinguishes this integration from standard satellite IoT offerings is the emphasis on a unified management architecture. Instead of treating satellite and terrestrial connectivity as two distinct services, Netmore presents both as a single, cohesive network environment. This architectural choice is intended to simplify operations for enterprises that manage large-scale deployments across varied terrains.
For logistics providers, this means a single tracker can transmit status updates while within a warehouse or urban center using terrestrial LoRaWAN, and automatically switch to satellite communication during long-haul transit through remote corridors. Similar advantages apply to the management of remote water infrastructure, environmental sensors, and industrial equipment, where site-wide connectivity is often interrupted by topography or lack of local power and data backhaul.
Reducing Barriers Through Existing Hardware
A critical component of this partnership is that it does not necessitate the development of entirely new hardware. Several vendors, including Track Value, Beepings, Sentiv, and Dryad, have already brought hybrid LoRaWAN-satellite devices to market. These existing products are designed to interface with both types of networks, allowing for immediate deployment cycles.
For system integrators and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), the availability of off-the-shelf hybrid hardware is a significant benefit. In many IoT projects, the requirement to support multiple connectivity standards often mandates expensive redesigns at the radio and firmware levels. By utilizing hardware that is already optimized for this hybrid approach, organizations can accelerate their time-to-market and avoid the complexities of custom engineering. This lowers the entry barrier for projects that require wide-area reliability but lack the budget for bespoke technology development.
Standardization and the Future of LPWAN
This collaboration is part of a larger trend within the LoRa Alliance to harmonize terrestrial and satellite technologies. As both Netmore and Kinéis are active members of the Alliance, the partnership aligns with ongoing efforts to introduce Satellite Discovery Enhancements. These technical standards are intended to streamline how commercial LoRaWAN devices detect and handshake with satellite constellations, making the process of “roaming” between networks as standard as moving between cellular towers.
As satellite IoT evolves from a specialized niche into a standard coverage layer, the network design philosophy for many utilities and enterprises is shifting. The reliance on achieving near-universal terrestrial coverage—which can be incredibly costly—is being replaced by a model that prioritizes terrestrial performance for high-density areas and satellite fallback for the periphery.
The success of this hybrid model will ultimately be measured by the transparency of the user experience. By integrating these disparate connectivity paths into the ThingPark platform and leveraging existing hardware, Netmore and Kinéis are aiming to make satellite connectivity a practical, operational reality for the broader IoT market, rather than a specialized solution for extreme use cases. As the industry moves forward, this unified approach is likely to serve as a blueprint for future IoT network expansions.
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