Strong sales continue for ZOLEO satellite messaging device

Beam Communications (ASX: BCC) is enjoying the continued success of their satellite messaging device ZOLEO and has announced that they have received new orders for 22,000 of them.

Sales have remained strong since ZOLEO’s launch in December 2019 with the device filling a previously unmet need for an affordable, compact and clever satellite messaging device.

ZOLEO caters to the needs of four addressable markets; the boating industry, caravan industry, hiking industry and fringe and rural dwellers.

78% of Australia’s landmass has no mobile phone service making ZOLEO an attractive choice for adventurers and the 7 million people who call rural Australia home. We clearly enjoy the outdoors with 10,000 new boats purchased annually and 11 million caravan trips taken per year.

In Australia alone, the hiking industry is worth more than $1.4 billion.

Generating revenue through ZOLEO device sales and the ongoing subscription fee to remain connected, Beam offers three tiers of packages designed to suit different needs.

Last month Beam announced a new addition to the software that they could charge for as an additional service. The Location Share + feature enables users to share their location with certain contacts and is available for $7.95 per month to add to any subscription package.

With the new order scheduled for invoicing and shipping in December 2021, Beam wants to ensure that they can meet consumer demand ahead of the summer in North America, as well as Christmas and Australian Summer holidays.

Beam also notes that they have received a number of direct and repeat orders from Anaconda, Telstra and SatPhone Shop, bringing the total number of devices ordered thus far to 69,245 units.

Beam is planning to launch their product in New Zealand next July for which a portion of the ordered devices have been earmarked. Following this they aim to expand supply to the UK and select EU markets (anticipated for early 2022).

There are a number of significant markets in Australia that Beam is hoping to enter. ZOLEO’s lack of reliance on local infrastructure could see its filling a need for remote workers in the resources, agriculture, emergency services and transport industries. Several small trials are underway to assess the usability of ZOLEO in these settings and are expected to lead to bigger opportunities.