SORACOM and MAGNITUDE SPACE sign a MOU to offer Low Power Global Area Network for SORACOM’s Internet of Things ecosystem

Ken Tamagawa, Soracom CEO and cofounder, with Ernst Peter Hovinga, Magnitude Space cofounder and CEO

Copenhagen, Denmark – 1 March 2017 – SORACOM, provider of the leading cloud-native connectivity platform for IoT, and Amsterdam-based MAGNITUDE SPACE, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to seamlessly integrate MAGNITUDE’s low power global area network (LPGAN) with SORACOM’s existing network and core infrastructure. The LPGAN offers global Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity at affordable cost, by combining the benefits of satellite with the characteristics of low power, low data rate terrestrial networks. Benefits are low cost, ease of use and world-wide ubiquitous coverage.

The strategic collaboration between both parties will offer SORACOM’s customers direct access to the LPGAN service via its existing cloud-based IoT platform providing a very convenient ‘one-stop-shop’ for procuring and managing IoT connectivity via GSM, LoraWAN or MAGNITUDE’s LPGAN.

IoT devices often require connectivity in areas where terrestrial networks (e.g. GSM or LoraWAN) do not provide network coverage. This is 90% of the earth’s surface. Traditional satellite networks provide global coverage, but their cost and power requirements are not viable for most mass IoT deployments. MAGNITUDE’s low power global area network solution will solve this global connectivity problem.

‘SORACOM and MAGNITUDE SPACE think alike about making IoT connectivity a problem of the past ensuring there is always an IoT connectivity solution available, irrelevant of the application area and anywhere in the world. We believe that connectivity should be made accessible for everybody and be very easy to use.’, said Ernst Peter Hovinga, Chief Executive Officer at MAGNITUDE SPACE.

‘This is an important progressive step for SORACOM in our mission to build a sustainable connected world. SORACOMs core network technology is agnostic to any communications network. After successfully launching networks based on cellular and LoRa technologies, partnership with Magnitude Space will enable our customers worldwide to experience LPGAN technology in a democratised way’, said Parag Mittal, Chief Commercial Officer at SORACOM.

‘MAGNITUDE SPACE is building a network of nano-satellites dedicated to IoT connectivity that is much needed for low data use cases where there is no cellular coverage. We will jointly create a low cost ‘pay as you go’ business model that integrates SORACOM security and data management services for customers globally. The LPGAN will enable enterprises, developers and technology start-ups to build applications and commercialise their concepts in areas where this was previously unthinkable’, said Kenta Yasukawa, PhD, SORACOM CTO and co-founder.

About SORACOM
SORACOM is the market-leading platform for cloud-native IoT connectivity. SORACOM provides customers and partners across industries with the tools they need to connect, protect, control and coordinate their IoT deployments at speed and at scale. More than 5,000 customers worldwide now use SORACOM solutions to bring their most advanced use cases from concept to market.

About MAGNITUDE SPACE
MAGNITUDE SPACE is launching the Low Power Global Area Network (LPGAN), an open platform to provide IoT connectivity for everybody, globally and at affordable costs. By providing easy low power network access to all things ‘out in the open’. Connecting things that were previously not possible will provide new and improved global insights, ‘helping all of us understand what is really going on in this world’.

Company Outline
Company Name: SORACOM, INC.
CEO: Ken Tamagawa
Headquarters: Oshima Bldg. 3F, Tamagawa 4-5-6,
Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Web:https://soracom.io/

Inquiries regarding this news item
SORACOM GLOBAL
Spokesperson: Jake Martin
E-mail: jake@soracom.io

MAGNITUDE SPACE
Name: Marijn Driessen
Email: M.Driessen@magnitudespace.com