In a new satellite-connected car demonstration, Iridium reports a demo in which a Toyota vehicle sent a voice message using Iridium NTN Direct, working with Deutsche Telekom IoT (DT IoT).
The voice message was sent from a Toyota vehicle equipped with a Nordic Semiconductor nRF9151 development board, and a Deutsche Telekom IoT SIM. It was also supported by a Fraunhofer voice codec to compress the data. It demonstrated standards-based NB-IoT voice messaging over Iridium’s Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation.
“The future of connectivity does not end where terrestrial networks reach their limits,” Deutsche Telekom IoT CEO Christian Schwalbe commented. “We are connecting mobile communications and satellite to form a global IoT infrastructure that keeps vehicles, machines and people reliably accessible. The demonstration with Toyota shows how technological innovation can be turned into concrete added value for our customers.”
This builds on a partnership agreement between Iridium and Deutsche Telekom to incorporate Iridium NTN Direct into its global IoT network. The companies explained this type of capability can be used for automotive, logistics, remote utilities, smart agriculture, emergency response and other IoT applications to stay connected outside of terrestrial networks.
Iridium NTN Direct, announced in 2024, is set to be commercially available in the fourth quarter of this year. Selected European customers are currently testing and developing applications on the Iridium network using Deutsche Telekom’s global SIM.
“The voice message sent over our network from a Toyota vehicle illustrates how Iridium NTN Direct will enhance consumer and commercial applications for people and assets operating outside traditional coverage areas,” commented Iridium CEO Matt Desch.
