Nordic Semiconductor and Skylo partner to bring ultra-low power satellite connectivity to massive IoT
2025
Leaders in wireless connectivity and NTN communications open doors to IoT connectivity through new product innovation in low power IoT applications
Nordic Semiconductor, a global leader in low power wireless connectivity solutions, and Skylo, the pioneer in Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) communications, are today announcing a strategic partnership to certify Nordic’s nRF9151 low-power cellular module on Skylo’s satellite network service. Nordic and Skylo’s partnership unlocks new massive IoT use cases, such as remote monitoring, asset tracking, and enhanced safety and security by enabling small, constrained IoT devices to connect seamlessly over satellite. It marks a clear path for device manufacturers to achieve global connectivity using 3GPP-compliant, off-the-shelf cellular solutions.
nRF9151: The industry’s lowest power cellular IoT module
The award-winning ultra-compact nRF9151 is the lowest power cellular IoT solution on the market today with industry-leading battery lifetime performance. The nRF9151 module is globally certified and features support for both LTE-M, NB-IoT, and DECT NR+ modem alongside an open application MCU core, with GNSS and cell-based location capabilities. Skylo device certification and NTN support will be announced in a product update later this year, bringing even more connectivity options to users.
Expanding massive IoT use cases with NTN support
“By leveraging Skylo’s existing, commercially available satellite network, we are today enabling connectivity anywhere,” said Oyvind Birkenes, EVP of Nordic’ Long Range Business Unit. “This collaboration with Skylo opens the door to a new class of IoT solutions that can operate in remote or off-grid environments with standard ultra-low power cellular solutions like the nRF9151.”
“Partnering with Nordic exemplifies the kind of connectivity innovation we are proud to support at Skylo,” said Tarun Gupta, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Skylo. “We see strong demand from the market for satellite connectivity on low power modules such as the award-winning nRF9151. This will enable device manufacturers to create innovative new products that stay connected far beyond the limits of terrestrial coverage. It’s a significant step toward our vision of ubiquitous, seamless coverage for all devices, and we’re excited to see the new massive IoT applications that will now be made possible from this partnership.”
A partnership driving global connectivity
With this partnership, industrial, consumer, and healthcare markets can now benefit from ultra-low power satellite connectivity. Small, battery-operated devices – from environmental sensors deployed in remote locations to trackers outside standard terrestrial connectivity - can stay connected longer, leveraging Skylo’s standards-based 3GPP satellite network, alongside Nordic’s nRF9151 module. This advancement enables seamless global coverage without reliance on terrestrial networks, unlocking new possibilities for massive IoT applications.
Live demonstration at Mobile World Congress
At the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona on March 3-6, 2025, the companies will demonstrate the rapid progress of this collaboration with full end-to-end connectivity using the nRF9151 module connected to Skylo’s network. As a key exhibitor, Nordic will be located at Booth #7G21 in Hall 7 and will showcase Skylo satellite connectivity as part of an interactive dashboard on the booth.