One New Zealand today announced its satellite internet of things (IoT) service is open for business, bringing SMS and data coverage like never before to businesses who use IoT technology to connect to the things that matter most.
Mike Purchase, Chief Enterprise Director at One NZ, says: “We’re proud to announce another global first, with One NZ customers being the very first anywhere to benefit from brand new IoT connectivity covering all of Aotearoa, powered by our partner Starlink with their Direct to Cell technology.
“Put simply, we now offer coverage for IoT devices across all of New Zealand, including the 40% that doesn’t have traditional cell tower coverage. This offers One NZ customers the ability to connect off-the-shelf CAT-1 IoT modules that work on traditional mobile networks for an affordable price.”
When a device is within range of One NZ's 4G network on the ground, it sends data through cell towers, just like a phone does. When the device goes out of range, in remote or rural areas, it automatically switches to One NZ Satellite as long as the device has line of sight to the sky. The One NZ Satellite network provides a dedicated means of connecting cellular based services. This allows IoT data like GPS location and sensor readings to be shared from more locations than ever before. Customers can connect hundreds or thousands of devices that can switch between 4G and satellite, all across New Zealand.
Busy as bees in the middle of nowhere.
One NZ has been working with customers in the run up to launch, testing the service across the country. APIS Solutions uses IoT solutions to provide commercial beekeepers with up-to-date information about their hives, wherever the hives happen to be. This helps beekeepers make smarter decisions and improve their productivity with near real-time data on every monitored hive.
APIS Solutions Chief Executive, Andrew Thompson is buzzing about the new technology: “Until now, it was complicated and expensive to connect hives outside of the traditional cell tower network. The One NZ Satellite service provides a night and day difference when it comes to the ability to connect and cost. Now using the same off-the-shelf mobile module that we use to connect to a traditional mobile tower, our customers can monitor, measure and make smarter decisions to reduce costs, optimise hive yields and hive health anywhere in NZ with a clear line of sight to the sky.”
“This is also a great example of NZ companies working together to deliver solutions that have domestic and international appeal.”
The One NZ Satellite service continues to improve since its initial launch in late 2024, Purchase explains:
“Since our launch, our partner Starlink has continued launching satellites at pace - there are now more than 600 in the sky, meaning that the capacity has doubled, and the availability has also dramatically improved, reducing the time it takes to send and receive SMS and now for our IoT customers, data as well.
“We’re hugely excited about how this will open up new opportunities in IoT for sectors like agriculture, transport, environmental monitoring and many more that power our economy here in NZ and that our customers can get started from today.”
For more information about One NZ Satellite IoT, please visit https://one.nz/iot/connectivity-plans/