Mobile IoT, the technology which is helping to bring secure, reliable Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) networks to the internet of things, is being fully showcased inside the GSMA Innovation City at Mobile World Congress. The technology is being exhibited by multiple ecosystem players and across multiple sectors, illustrating the potential it has to bring connectivity to new generation of IoT solutions and services.
One of key verticals to benefit from Mobile IoT is the utilities sector, for which there are multiple demonstrations. Huawei, Neul, Vodafone and u-blox are exhibiting the Mobile IoT Water Meter, which uses NB-IoT technology to help provide real time usage information and fault management using live results relayed from Vodafone’s Proof of Concept in Valencia, Spain. Because the meter can be read remotely by both the customer and supplier, monitoring usage is much more convenient and eliminates the need for home readings.
Ericsson and Intel are also highlighting the value Mobile IoT can bring to the utilities sector with their Fleet tracking and Smart Grid monitoring which demonstrates how Cat-M technology supports extended coverage in underground or rural areas for IoT applications such smart grid management and fleet management. Ericsson, Intel and Nokia’s Connected eBike demonstration brings the IoT to one of the world’s popular and accessible forms of travel. This innovative bike tracking solution uses NB-IoT technology to track the real-time location and status of eBikes through urban underground or even rural environments with lower signal levels.
Continuing with solutions that serve consumers as well as business, Vodafone and Huawei are exhibiting their Pet Tracking solution that uses NB-IoT to monitor the location of pets on a tablet, computer or smartphone. This greatly reduces the risk of pets becoming lost, alerts owners when they stray out of bounds and can help indicate a pet’s health problem through the monitoring of sustained periods of inactivity.
Sierra Wireless’ Connected Consumer and Industrial Devices demonstration shows how Cat-M technology can be used for a variety of consumer devices, such as connected shoes, wearables and healthcare devices, as well as industrial devices, such as smart electric meters.
Those visiting the Innovation City will opportunity to see how Mobile IoT is transforming the agricultural sector with Ericsson, Intel and Orange’s Smart Agriculture/Connected Vineyard which showcases how EC-EGPRS will address the challenge of extending coverage to difficult-to-reach indoor locations such as basements as well as remote rural locations, such as vineyards and farms. Mobile IoT is a key enabler for IoT services in the agricultural sector due to its typical location in rural areas, where broadband coverage can be patchy. IoT solutions in the agricultural sector can be used to enhance farming in many ways, such as crop quality, yield, worker safety and improved logistics.
The ‘Mobile IoT Initiative’ is designed to accelerate the commercial availability of Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) solutions in licensed spectrum. LPWA networks are designed for Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) applications that have low data rates, long battery lives and that operate in remote and hard to reach locations.
Analysys Mason forecasts LPWA technologies will generate $970 million globally in connectivity revenue in 2018, rising to $7.5 billion in 2022. By that time, Strategy Analytics estimates network operators could be generating more than $13 billion from LPWA connectivity, as well as significant additional revenues from value-added services, such as data analytics and security. Machina Research forecasts that the LPWA market globally could be worth US$589 billion by 2020 in US$ (2011) real terms of the M2M market where connections will be either suitable for or adaptable to LPWA technology.
To experience these demonstrations, visit the GSMA Innovation City, located at stands 3A11 and 3A31 in Hall 3, at Mobile World Congress. To find out more about the Mobile IoT Initiative, please click here.
The GSMA will also host a seminar on Wednesday, February 24 with industry experts at MWC 2016 covering the impact of LPWA networks. To register or for more information please click here.