Band24 Unveils Hybrid Bluetooth, Cellular and Satellite Asset Tracker

Band24 has announced the launch of Terra, which it says is the world’s first asset-tracking device combining Bluetooth, LTE-M cellular and direct-to-satellite connectivity in a single battery-powered unit.

Terra is designed to select between three connectivity options as assets move between different environments. It can use a crowdsourced Bluetooth network of more than 100 million access points, LTE-M where cellular coverage is available, and Hubble Network's LEO constellation when terrestrial connectivity is unavailable. The satellite component uses Hubble's direct Bluetooth-to-satellite technology rather than a conventional dedicated satellite modem.

Beyond scheduled reporting, Band24 says users can request an on-demand location update with a response in roughly one minute. The company attributes this capability to its implementation of LTE-M extended discontinuous reception, or eDRX, intended to balance responsiveness with multi-year battery operation.

The palm-sized tracker also incorporates motion, temperature and humidity sensing and tamper detection, supporting applications including vehicle and trailer tracking, shipping containers, tools, livestock and cold-chain monitoring. Data is delivered through Band24's existing Ranger dashboard and Events API, avoiding the need for customers to deploy their own gateways or private tracking infrastructure.

Band24 will initially distribute Terra through its Explorer Program, with selected participants due to receive hardware in December before general availability in 2027.