Netherlands has become the first country in the world to have a nationwide network of IoT beating South Korea to it by a margin of just a week. The nationwide IoT network is rolled out by Dutch telecommunications company KPN. The telecommunication company had witnessed an increase in the demand for low power network technology to connect to IoT devices. Keeping this is in mind they planned for this launch. They have decided to use LoRa for this purpose. LoRa is a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) especially enabling IoT devices. This LoRa network is also compatible with telecom's 2G, 3G, and 4G networks.
The internet of things (IoT) is the network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items with software and sensors that enable these objects to collect and exchange data.
The company had LoRa antennas and gateways installed on the existing mobile transmission towers all over the country to support a nationwide IoT network. They have achieved all of this in less than a year and have been able to cater to the rising demand with their immaculate planning. They had implemented their first phase in Rotterdam and The Hague in November 2015 itself with success. The company has already started reaping profits off this investment as they have already received contracts for 1.5 million devices to use this new network.
"Over the past eight months a lot of hard work has gone into the rollout of the network", said KPN. The IoT network is now available outdoors throughout the Netherlands. KPN’s LoRa went live at the beginning of November 2015 in Rotterdam and The Hague. Because of substantial customer interest the rollout of the network was speeded up at the beginning of the year.
KPN has already contracted 1.5 million ‘devices’ that will be connected to the LoRa network. This number is expected to grow rapidly now that the network is available in the whole of the Netherlands. In the months ahead KPN will further optimize the LoRa network by condensing the network; the much-requested localization functionality will become available too.
The first Internet of Things applications are already connected to the network and numerous proofs of concept are being tested. For example, at Schiphol Airport LoRa is being tested in logistical processes such as baggage handling and for facility services. An experiment is being carried out at Utrecht Central station that allows LoRa to monitor rail switches, and depth sounders at the port of Rotterdam have been fitted with devices to connect them to the IoT network. KPN expects LoRa applications for consumers to become more widely available in the course of this year.
The internet of things (IoT) is the network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items with software and sensors that enable these objects to collect and exchange data.
The company had LoRa antennas and gateways installed on the existing mobile transmission towers all over the country to support a nationwide IoT network. They have achieved all of this in less than a year and have been able to cater to the rising demand with their immaculate planning. They had implemented their first phase in Rotterdam and The Hague in November 2015 itself with success. The company has already started reaping profits off this investment as they have already received contracts for 1.5 million devices to use this new network.
"Over the past eight months a lot of hard work has gone into the rollout of the network", said KPN. The IoT network is now available outdoors throughout the Netherlands. KPN’s LoRa went live at the beginning of November 2015 in Rotterdam and The Hague. Because of substantial customer interest the rollout of the network was speeded up at the beginning of the year.
KPN has already contracted 1.5 million ‘devices’ that will be connected to the LoRa network. This number is expected to grow rapidly now that the network is available in the whole of the Netherlands. In the months ahead KPN will further optimize the LoRa network by condensing the network; the much-requested localization functionality will become available too.
The first Internet of Things applications are already connected to the network and numerous proofs of concept are being tested. For example, at Schiphol Airport LoRa is being tested in logistical processes such as baggage handling and for facility services. An experiment is being carried out at Utrecht Central station that allows LoRa to monitor rail switches, and depth sounders at the port of Rotterdam have been fitted with devices to connect them to the IoT network. KPN expects LoRa applications for consumers to become more widely available in the course of this year.
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