Recommended IDP Terminals
The simple and effective ST-2100 connects to your gateway or sensor via a serial port, and delivers plug-and-play connectivity with its simple AT command set.
The ST-6100 is fully programmable and comes with resources to support integration into diverse custom solutions. It also has super low power consumption, fully capable of operating on a battery / solar power.
6,400
Bytes Send
10,000
Bytes Receive
15-60
Seconds Latency*
*Depending on message size
Orbcomm IsatData Pro (IDP) Coverage
Orbcomm IDP utilizes Viasat’s satellites which are positioned in geostationary orbit. At 35,786 Km up, they move at the same speed as the Earth rotates, so appear stationary to us – hence the name! At this distance, they can ‘see’ a lot of the Earth’s surface, so a small number of satellites are needed to provide close to global coverage. IDP currently operates on six L-band satellites, which deliver coverage everywhere with the exception of the polar regions.
There are several benefits of GEO satellites. Once you’re connected to the satellite, if your asset isn’t moving around, the connection will be extremely stable. If it *is* moving around, you will need an auto-pointing or omni-directional antenna that can adjust to your asset’s position relative to the satellite. The devices we’ve featured on this page have omni-directional antennae built in.
GEO services tend to be lower cost than comparative LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite airtime plans, so it’s often a very cost-effective option.
Benefits of Orbcomm IsatData Pro (IDP)
99.9% Service Availability
Low Operating Costs
Energy Efficient Terminals
15-60 Second Latency
Broad Coverage
Coming Soon: OGx
With messaging speeds up to 40x faster*, lower latency and an increase in message size up to 1MB, OGx will open up new satellite IoT and asset tracking use cases which require imaging, large data logs or over-the-air updates.
Featuring a suite of flexible, cost-effective data plans, OGx is compatible with existing Orbcomm ST-series satellite terminals and helps to reduce overall power consumption, expanding the possibilities of using smaller components, utilizing smaller battery packs or solar panels arrays, or increasing the frequency of data transmissions.
*Compared to Orbcomms current generation of satellite IoT services
Comparing Satellite IoT Connectivity
It’s tricky to compare airtime services because so much depends on how much data you need to send, but as a rough guide, we’ve put together the following comparison points. Get in touch if you’d like any help deciding what will work best for you.
How can we help?
If you’re developing a remote IoT application and need to explore your connectivity options, Ground Control can help. We design and build our own satellite IoT hardware and services platform, Cloudloop, and work with trusted third parties when they have a great product, like the Orbcomm devices we’ve featured on this page.
We can offer you expert, impartial advice on the best satellite network and device for your requirements. Just complete the form or email hello@groundcontrol.com, and we’ll come back to you within one working day.