Basildon, April 29, 2024
CNH (NYSE: CNHI) and Intelsat, operator of one of the world’s largest integrated
satellite and terrestrial communication networks, today announced a collaboration
that will be the first to provide farmers ubiquitous access to the internet via a
ruggedized satellite communications (SATCOM) service. Based on a new
memorandum of understanding, Intelsat will provide multi-orbit internet access to
connect CNH equipment working in remote locations and easy-to-use satellite
terminals ready to handle the challenging environment on a farm.
With 60 years’ experience in SATCOM, Intelsat’s capabilities span geosynchronous
and low-Earth orbits, offering Case IH, Steyr and New Holland customers SATCOM
coverage that is unparalleled in the market. Intelsat’s rugged, industrial-grade
terminals already serve critical industrial applications, including for the military
and airlines. Case IH, Steyr and New Holland customers will use a rigorously tested
terminal that connects easily and is proven to withstand extreme weather
conditions and the vibration and shock produced by farming equipment and
activity.
This offering will be first available in the second half of 2024 to farmers in Brazil,
where ConectarAgro’s Rural Connectivity Indicator found only 19% of the area
available for agricultural use has high-speed internet access. Customers will be
able to rely on their Case IH and New Holland dealers to install and support
Intelsat’s hardware and service activation. Subsequently, the companies plan to
expand their collaboration to the U.S., Australia, and other regions.
Internet connectivity is central to realizing gains in productivity and yield through
precision agriculture, as Case IH, STEYR and New Holland farmers’ intelligent
machines connect and coordinate with one another while they work. They also
communicate with the farmer via the cloud, exchanging data securely and
receiving the farmer’s highly specified directions for the jobs they execute. While
many customers fulfill this need for internet connectivity with CNH’s marketleading global mobile virtual network, existing cellular towers do not enable
pervasive connection. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations, less than 33% of the world’s surface has mobile network coverage.
“Satellite technology helps solve complex connectivity challenges for hard-toreach farms, but not all providers are equal. Intelsat stands out for their depth of
experience as well as the quality and reliability of their service and industrial
terminal offerings. They get what it means to be rugged. We look forward to
serving customers around the world with their solution,” said Marc Kermisch, Chief
Digital and Information Officer at CNH.
“As the first satellite communications company to provide multi-orbit connectivity
to farmers around the world, Intelsat’s collaboration with CNH will unlock new
capabilities in the most remote locations through our global communications
platform,” said Dave Wajsgras, CEO of Intelsat. “We’ve proven that ruggedized,
built-for-purpose terminals that can access multiple satellite orbits from anywhere
on Earth offer the highest network reliability, greater throughput and the best user
experience.”