Appareo and Iridium Partner to Provide Global Connectivity to Farm Equipment

FARGO, ND--(Marketwired - Aug 29, 2016) - Appareo Systems, LLC, and Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) announce the release of technology that can equip motorized farm vehicles with terrestrial and satellite communication capabilities, enabled by the global Iridium® satellite network.

Appareo, a global leader in the development of innovative electronic and software solutions for advanced machine control systems and sensing equipment, has been working with Iridium to deliver wireless satellite connectivity for the products and systems it develops. Iridium operates the largest commercial satellite network, spanning the entire globe including polar regions. As part of a long-term development and supply agreement with Iridium, Appareo integrates the Iridium 9603 chipset -- the world's smallest commercial two-way satellite transceiver -- into a range of products. The company recently received certification from Iridium on a new device containing the Iridium 9603 chipset: a machine gateway designed in partnership with AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO).

"We are excited to be a part of this key partnership, positively impacting the agriculture industry on a global scale," said Tim Last, vice president and general manager, M2M line of business at Iridium. "This agreement marks yet another landmark deal for the Iridium M2M team, embedding Iridium technology into a global OEM business. We couldn't be happier to be working with Appareo and AGCO, who are leaders in the expansion of communications technology in the agriculture industry."

AGCO, the world's largest OEM solely dedicated to the agriculture industry, is deploying communications technology at an unprecedented level. AGCO will utilize Iridium's connectivity to expand AgCommand®, its complete, end-to-end, wireless telemetry solution for remote precision agriculture and machine monitoring. The machine gateway will enable the farming community to have access to terrestrial and satellite connectivity on a global scale. This connectivity allows AgCommand® to collect actionable information that will enhance fleet management and increase productivity for farmers worldwide.