The Silicon Review ^Asia

State-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched a new satellite-based narrowband IoT network in partnership with Skylotech India in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Digital India.' Furthermore, the 'Made in India' solution, which is indigenously developed by Skylo, will connect with BSNL's land satellite ground infrastructure and provide pan-India coverage, including at seas.

"For centuries, industries, including agriculture, railways, and fisheries, have been operating offline and have not had the opportunity to take full advantage of the latest advancements in AI & IoT– until today. This is the world's first satellite-based NB-IoT network, and I am proud to launch this capability in India first to transform lives and our domestic industries," said ParthsarathiTrivedi, CEO, and Co-founder, Skylo.

The development assumes importance as it comes during the ongoing India Mobile Congress (MC) 2020. The satellite-based IoT solution has been successfully tested in India's core sectors such as Indian Railways, fishing vessels, and connected vehicles across India, as per BSNL. The Skylo 'User Terminal' interfaces with sensors and transmits data to the Skylo Network and users. Data Platform provides visual graphics for industry-specific applications on mobile or desktop.