Satellite IoT is identified as a feasible solution to address the challenges of Democratizing IoT.

Internet of Things is the technology that will drive Industrial revolution 4.0. With its capability to connect diverse objects, it has been significantly utilized in the many areas of industry. A successful IoT device is heavily governed by improved connectivity, cloud storage and low-cost, low power sensors. The global market size for the internet of things end-user is expected to grow from US$170.6 billion in 2017 to US$561.0 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 26.9%.

Limited Connectivity

Despite being one of the fastest adopting technologies in the industry, it is unable to get incorporated in many domains of the world. The reasons are many. The most common reason that has deterred in the smooth deployment of this hyper-connected technology is limited connectivity. As the world is developing with smarter technologies, we can not deny that those areas which still awaits better internet connection or mobile connectivity. This challenge is most persistent in countries that lack resources or are undergoing political turmoil. Reports indicate that only 4.66billion people have internet access, with only 20% population having effective mobile networks. With less or ineffective network connection, a major chunk of the world population is away from utilizing IoT devices.

Lack of Cloud Infrastructure in Developing World

Another major challenge that hinders the democratization of IoT is the dearth or inadequate cloud storage facilities. A report titled “Cloud Computing in Developing Countries: Opportunities and Challenges”, states that a major reason behind the delayed adoption of IoT amongst the developing countries is lack of infrastructure. Moreover, the report adds, “Cloud-based services cannot sustainably operate in isolation from the business environment, institutional systems, infrastructure and human resources (HR) capabilities.”. The report points out the developing countries are far behind in the area of enabling the new businesses.

Satellite-IoT to be the next Solution

Since cloud computing and network connectivity are the key reasons thwarting the democratization of this new technology, a strategic solution must be formulated that can address the pre-existing challenges. Experts have indicated the adoption of Satellite IoT to be a game-changer for the world. Reports have indicated that the global market for IoT focused satellite services, with a focus in the end-connectivity, hardware and the annual connectivity fees charged, is forecasted to grow US$5.9 billion by the year 2025.

With its robust connecting capabilities, Satellite-IoT will function as a backhaul service. This implies that these IoT networks, apart from having low cost will be able to concentrate thousands of devices in the vicinity. Furthermore, with low power features, they enable massive networks that feed data-analytics feature with new data-points.

The Satellite IoT is already being leveraged in sectors such as agriculture, energy, construction and government security in the developed world. With its sensors capable of running off only in batteries, or small solar cells, Satellite IoT is a feasible option to Hyper connects the world.