NARROWBAND IOT: WHAT USE IS IT PERFECT FOR?
Narrowband IoT (NB IoT) is ideal for many smart devices. And according to numerous forecasts, their number will increase from year to year. Toasters, fitness gadgets, mobile phones and other things connected to the Internet have long been a part of everyday life.
Narrowband IoT is an essential component in an increasingly digital world as a low-power, high-coverage wireless network.
Thus, the scope of Narrowband multi-talent extends to many things. And it’s not just about the power for devices that provide gimmicks. First of all, NB-IoT can support practical or even vital areas. Therefore, let’s look at the areas represented by the words “Narrowband IoT, please deploy.”
Table of contents
- Narrowband IoT is invading even Ford Knox.
- Small amounts of data are transferred quickly.
- Narrowband Internet of Things for Smart Garbage Collection
- Less congestion with NB IoT
- Smart farming with NB IoT
- Would you like to speak with our team?
Narrowband IoT is invading even Ford Knox.
A significant advantage of Narrowband IoT is the high penetration that can be achieved with it. First, it uses smart building technology, which would not be possible without a high penetration level.
Some experienced thieves would love to have that capability because the narrowband IoT can penetrate the Ford Knox’s concrete walls. But of course, our exciting narrowband technology based on LTE technology is not a thief one. Instead, it helps us keep thieves away because alarm systems can work with it.
The technology also helps to determine values such as temperature or water levels deep in buildings, such as basements.
How well this works has only recently been proven. After all, it was this penetration into the buildings that the real estate company Ista checked in the framework of a joint project with Telekom. In addition, access to 500 measuring points in approximately 60 apartments in the Cologne/Bonn area has become possible. The corresponding measurements were carried out by the independent consulting company P3 Communications GmbH. Basically, a stable connection was established in 99.75 % of cases. In this way, measured data can be transferred quickly and safely.
Additionally, this proves the great importance of the Narrowband Internet of Things (NB IoT). “More than 23 million IoT-enabled devices are already used in Europe, and their amount is growing daily,” added Achim Dieke, CTO of Ista. “A successful field test shows that Narrowband IoT has what it takes to become the new globally interoperable standard in low power machine-to-machine or M2M communications. Not just outside buildings, but also throughout the building and for energy metering and other services requiring stable and energy-efficient data transmission.”
Small amounts of data are transferred quickly.
The advantages of a Narrowband network are pretty suitable for logistics as well. Let’s consider, for example, tracking devices for shipping containers. In particular, NB IoT enables fast and secure tracking. And using mobile phone masts, it becomes much more energy efficient.
That’s why Narrowband IoT is an extension of the LTE network for the creators of Vodafone: “This technology is based on our existing mobile communications infrastructure and is optimized for virtually unlimited networking of objects. To make a long story short: Narrowband IoT is our machine network,” explained Dr Eric Kuisch, CTO of Vodafone Germany.
Narrowband Internet of Things for Smart Garbage Collection
Small revolutions have become more accessible: in some smart cities, trash cans now communicate with each other, for example, in Amsterdam. Thanks to the attached sensors, smart containers show when they are full and need to be emptied. And this means that small amounts of data are transmitted here repeatedly, after which they determine routes and schedules. Optimization is carried out as needed, so the driver may neglect the signal during the movement if the signal is not given. The Internet of Things also protects the environment by reducing unnecessary travel.
It’s also handy when things suddenly speak to us or when machines talk to machines, leading to lightning-fast solutions. In the future, there will be more and more of them, not only in the smart city.
And to transmit these many small data packets cheaply, a Narrowband IoT is much needed.
After all, these are modules that do not require an external power connection and rarely require maintenance. Depending on the application, this need may occur every 5-10 years. This makes Narrowband IoT indispensable for the smart city, where current traffic data must also be transmitted in the future.
Less congestion with NB IoT
This brings us to the next application area. Low power consumption and secure performance while transferring small amounts of data at a low cost make Narrowband IoT a wireless technology ideal for IoT applications in vehicles. Finally, NB-IoT is focused on M2M (machine-to-machine) communication. And this means that traffic lights or traffic indicators give us a message about the car, and the navigation system automatically suggests a different route. Or multi-storey car parks inform Smart Car if they are full.
Such technologies will soon become the standard for smart cars and smart cities. And this must be the case if we are to solve such closely related issues as transport and environmental protection. We must be able to use large amounts of small data to connect ourselves and things together in a meaningful way.
With NB-IoT, these critical data are transmitted over a narrowband at the heart of the smart city. Narrowband IoT is based on LTE technology, which limits the LTE standard’s bandwidth to one narrow band of 200 kHz. Also, it uses the unused 200 kHz frequency bands that have become available for GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications).
Smart farming with NB IoT
But technology helps us not only in the city. When we think of the Internet of Things, the first things that come to mind are devices, smartphones, language assistants, smart factories, or smart homes. The Internet of Things can also be more rural, and smart farming is possible with narrowband Internet of Things. Therefore, why shouldn’t farmers take advantage of new technologies?
However, until now, unfortunately, there have been too many problems with the digital networks of agricultural machines. But NB-IoT makes it possible. Water, fertilizers, and CO2 can be better managed, and management becomes more efficient. You can collect and analyze data on the harvesting process and historical data on field planting or fertilization cycles. Here’s how NB-IoT helps across the board.