SmallSat IoT to Become a US$ 1 Billion Market Annually

Cambridge, Mass., September 2, 2021

NSR’s M2M and IoT via Satellite, 12th Edition (M2M12) report forecasts the dedicated IoT constellations market reaching US$ 990 million in annual total retail revenues by 2030, reflecting ~44 % of the total satcom IoT market.  Due to the low cost of Smallsat IoT terminals and ongoing subscription fees to end users, a conservative scenario sees Smallsat IoT representing 71% of global in-service units (~13 million) by 2030, with much higher market share if the stars align properly.

“As with the Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) market, key smallsat applications are agriculture and transport & cargo” notes Alan Crisp, consultant for NSR and report lead author. Unlike mobility markets, COVID-19 had limited impact on M2M/IoT revenues. Cargo’s essential nature made it resilient and the largest market for smallsats, with basic “dots on a map” type applications growing a substantially larger addressable market. And with the potential for regulated tagging of all animals, agriculture has real green field market potential; especially with lower price points unlocking new addressable markets.

“In the coming years Smallsat IoT products will compete head on with the Garmin InReach lineup, Globalstar SPOT, and other satcom based devices. Smallsat IoT prices will be lower than existing price points, increasing the addressable market by an order of magnitude,” notes Crisp. “Features, such as panic alarms, can be built into devices at the time of manufacturing to reach a greater consumer base. Other application types will use similar strategies, to deliver similar success.”

The coming years represent an inflection point for the satcom IoT industry, resulting in permanent changes to MSS and VSAT operators. But along with change comes opportunity, and the M2M/IoT markets are seeing opportunity, but strategies will need to be revisited, and change is inevitable for long term success.

About the Report

NSR’s M2M and IoT via Satellite, 12th Edition (M2M12) the industry’s leading resource for assessing the lucrative M2M/IoT market. M2M12 cuts through the hype of small satellite constellations and provides level-headed actionable insights into the future growth of this new market, providing the reader with the best opportunities for growth, and the impact on existing operators and service providers. The report provides deep insight into this fast-evolving market, keeping readers abreast of recent market movements and deals.  It also enables service providers and satellite operators to navigate the M2M and IoT maze to protect and expand their market position in both existing and new segments that offer long-term revenue potential.

For additional information on this report, including a full table of contents, list of exhibits and executive summary, please visit www.nsr.com or call NSR at +1-617-674-7743.