SORACOM announced its support for the communication infrastructure of "IBUKI GPS," a location tracking service carried by athletes in the "34th Japan Mountain Endurance Race - Hase-Tsuné Cup." This event, one of Japan's premier mountain endurance races, will take place from October 11th to 12th in Tokyo's Okutama mountainous region. Approximately 2,000 participants will tackle a grueling 71.5km course, aiming to complete it within 24 hours.

IBUKI GPS, a GPS terminal service provided by OND, supports positioning via GPS, GLONASS, and Michibiki (QZSS). It transmits acquired location data to the cloud using LTE-M communication. Designed specifically for tracking mountain races, it continuously acquires location information even in areas with poor signal reception, such as mountainous regions, and sends accumulated data once it moves to a location where communication is possible.

For this year's competition, IBUKI GPS has been designated as mandatory equipment. This allows race organizers to monitor the real-time locations of all participants, significantly enhancing safety. Furthermore, an official event page on IBUKI's website will display the location information of all athletes, enabling spectators and families to follow the race's progress in near real-time. "IBUKI LIVE," which provides a map-based view of current locations via a web browser, is also available, making it easier for supporters to cheer on their chosen athletes.

SORACOM, responsible for the communication, offers a robust IoT communication platform known for its low power consumption, wide area coverage, and ability to centrally manage multiple lines. SORACOM aims to continue supporting IoT utilization across a broad spectrum of fields, including outdoor sports, and to provide a "Real World AI Platform" that digitally captures and understands real-world conditions.