China to pilot commercial satellite IoT services: ministry

BEIJING - China will conduct commercial trials for satellite Internet of Things (IoT) services to support the safe and healthy development of emerging industries such as commercial aerospace and low-altitude economy, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Satellite IoT services refer to a type of low-speed data service that provides wide-area IoT connections for devices such as data collection terminals, wearable devices, and handheld terminals, as well as transportation vehicles like automobiles, ships, and aircraft, through satellite communication technology.

Enterprises applying to conduct commercial trials should carry out relevant businesses in China by building satellite IoT systems, as well as business support systems (BSS), operation support systems (OSS), and management support systems (MSS), in accordance with laws and regulations, according to a circular released by the ministry on Tuesday.

The commercial trials of satellite IoT services primarily target industry users in fields such as transportation, energy, agriculture, and emergency response, who utilize these services for data collection and transmission.

By conducting the commercial trials, China aims to invigorate market entities, enhance industry service capabilities, establish a security supervision system, and form replicable and scalable experiences and models, the circular noted.