CNH Inks Deal for Broad Internet Access

CNH Industrial and Intelsat, operator of one of the world's largest integrated satellite and terrestrial communication networks, announced a collaboration Monday that will provide farmers universal access to the internet by way of a ruggedized satellite communications (SATCOM) service.

Based on a new memorandum of understanding, Intelsat will provide multi-orbit internet access to connect CNH equipment in remote locations and easy-to-use satellite terminals ready to handle the challenging environment on a farm.

With 60 years of experience in SATCOM, Intelsat's capabilities span geosynchronous and low-earth orbits, offering Case IH, Steyr and New Holland customers broad and reliable SATCOM coverage.

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. Intelsat's industrial-grade terminals already serve critical industrial applications, including for the military and airlines.

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.

The companies plan to expand their collaboration to the U.S., Australia and other regions, according to the release published Monday.

"Satellite technology helps solve complex connectivity challenges for hard-to-reach farms, but not all providers are equal. Intelsat stands out for its depth of experience, as well as the quality and reliability of its service and industrial terminal offerings. They get what it means to be rugged. We look forward to serving customers around the world with this solution," said Marc Kermisch, CNH chief digital and information officer.

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 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 market-leading 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.

"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, Intelsat CEO. "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."

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