TIM, the largest mobile operator in Italy, announced the NB-IoT network will be available from the end of October with the network footprint over 75% of TIM's 4G network at around 5,000 municipalities.
The Operator has become the first operator in Italy to launch a commercial IoT service based on NB-IoT technology. The Operator targets to fully complete the roll out by the coming January.
This is an important milestone after the one reached last April when TIM – first one in Italy and among the first ones in Europe – carried out a field test on the first smart water meter which is capable of automatically sending meter readings via the live NB-IoT network. This test was carried out by Olivetti, the digital hub of the TIM Group, with SMAT, Società Metropolitana Acque Torino S.p.A..
The availability of the NB-IoT service on the whole of the national territory, made possible by TIM’s technological acceleration, will enable the commercial development of services starting with smart meters, which will permit not only real time monitoring of consumption and the telemanagement of gas, water and electricity transmission and distribution networks, but also district heating and environmental management.
