CNH and Intelsat, operator of one of the world’s largest satellite and terrestrial communication networks, have announced a collaboration that will see farmers gain access to the internet via satellite communications (SATCOM) service.
Based on a new memorandum of understanding, Intelsat will provide multi-orbit internet access to connect Case IH, Steyr and New Holland equipment working in remote locations and satellite terminals ready to handle the challenging environment on a farm.
Intelsat’s terminals already serve industrial applications, including for the military and airlines, showing that the terminals can withstand extreme weather conditions and the vibration and shock produced by farming equipment and activity, the company says.
Farmers in Brazil will be the first to access the new connectivity option, beginning in the second half of 2024. There, ConectarAgro’s Rural Connectivity Indicator found only 19 per cent of the area available for agricultural use has high-speed internet access and less than a quarter of farmland is close enough to a cellular tower to make connection possible. Intelsat FlexMove satellite network will offer “the reliable connectivity needed to adopt connected equipment and to bring on the next great agricultural revolution,” it says.
Case IH and New Holland dealers will install and support Intelsat’s hardware and service activation for farmers in Brazil.
The companies plan to expand their collaboration to the U.S., Australia, and other regions.
