Satellite 5G NB-IoT Helps Stop Livestock Diseases and Cattle Theft

December 26, 2022

Traditional livestock management through cellular IoT ear tag devices has been able to predict and control the spread of contagious diseases, like Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), and to track animals’ locations, preventing cattle theft and increasing both farmer and livestock safety.

Nevertheless, this way of livestock management is inaccessible to most farmers worldwide because most of the land has no cellphone coverage, and proprietary network protocols make the purchase and maintenance of 5G devices out of reach for many of them.

When coverage is not limited and maintenance costs are low, possibilities expand enormously.

Sateliot, the first satellite constellation offering 5G standard connectivity from space, and Streamline, the leading company in livestock management, are joining forces to solve these hurdles, improving livestock management services to farmers worldwide.

In 2023, South African company Streamline will deploy 400,000 cellular 5G NB-IoT livestock devices capable of connecting seamlessly to both cellular towers and Sateliot’s constellation. Streamline’s goal for the coming years is to reach a landmark of 7 million devices worldwide; in 2019, this number was only 40,000.

Streamline accounts for 7.95 million livestock in the South African market. Their expertise in livestock management devices has relied traditionally on conventional cellular connectivity. However, Sateliot’s Non-Terrestrial Networks act as cell towers in space, giving Streamline’s 5G NB-IoT devices the ability to work in uncovered areas. Sateliot’s solution is more efficient and affordable for both Streamline and the final user than proprietary solutions from a legacy satellite carrier.

Furthermore, with no need for cell phone coverage and low device-to-satellite transmission costs, starting from less than 1 USD per device per month, Streamline’s service, supported by Sateliot, facilitates expansive growth and grants the ability to operate in uncovered areas, giving more flexibility to farmers.

Jaume Sanpera, CEO of Sateliot, commented: “Streamline has a state-of-the-art product, the ear tag Model STR-TG103/4, giving farmers certainty to have cattle under good condition. Nevertheless, farmers need coverage that only we can provide, using our 5G-NB IoT satellite constellation to provide support and coverage to broader areas and even larger farms without a terrestrial network. This proves the IoT market is showing unstoppable growth, and is accelerating much faster than any other tech industry.”