Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) announced a strategic partnership with SKYWAVE, an Orbcomm company, to provide industrial Internet of Things connectivity to heavy equipment manufacturers, according to a press release dated July 28, 2026.

The partnership combines Iridium's low Earth orbit satellite network and Short Burst Data services with SKYWAVE's multi-network management platform and OGx IoT platform. Iridium's satellite services are being embedded directly into SKYWAVE's satellite IoT terminals, giving heavy equipment original equipment manufacturers the option to access Iridium's satellite network alongside cellular and Wi-Fi networks.

The integrated solution is intended to support remote monitoring, diagnostics, predictive maintenance, service support, and modernization of existing connected equipment fleets. The partnership initially targets heavy equipment manufacturers, with the underlying architecture designed to extend to additional industrial sectors where assets operate in remote locations.

"For more than two decades, Iridium has provided the only pole-to-pole mobile satellite network, delivering the coverage, resiliency, and reliability that mission-critical operations demand," said Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium.

"This partnership is an important step in SKYWAVE's mission to become the intelligent networking layer for industrial IoT," said Sameer Agrawal, Chief Executive Officer of Orbcomm. "Heavy equipment OEMs are looking for ways to modernize legacy deployments, expand connected service capabilities and deliver reliable digital experiences wherever their equipment operates."

The integration is described as underway, though the press release does not specify a commercial availability date. Iridium is headquartered in McLean, Virginia.