Vodafone in partnership with Huawei, and u-blox has completed the first successful commercial trial of pre-standard NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) technology. The trial saw Vodafone and Huawei successfully integrating the technology into the operator’s existing mobile network in Spain. The companies then sent the first pre-standard NB-IoT message to a u-blox module installed in a water meter.
NB-IoT which can be deployed over existing mobile networks extends the utilization of IoT by making it more efficient to connect objects requiring a long battery life and are located in hard to reach areas. NB-IoT promises to provide up to 10 years of battery life and deep indoor coverage, enabling enterprise applications in a range of different areas, from utility meters to sensor monitoring to asset-tracking.
The NB-IoT is already seeing a number of research initiatives underway. South Korean Mobile operator, SK Telecom has recently embarked on research and development of the technology in partnership with Nokia Networks.
Matt Beal, Director of Innovation and Architecture, Vodafone Group
Vodafone has led the development of NB-IoT, the LPWA technology in licensed spectrum that has gained huge industry support. The completion of this first commercial trial with our partners is further evidence of that.
David Wang, President of Huawei’s Wireless Network Product Line
This long-established joint innovation initiative with Vodafone strengthens our commitment to providing innovative solutions to help customers meet their business challenges and to lead the development of the technology and industry ecosystem.
