So what makes Narrowband IoT interesting?
| Oct. 2021 |.
NB-IoT is a Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) technology designed for devices that record small amounts of data over long periods of time and in hard-to-reach places. It is a simple, secure and reliable way to connect devices over existing GSM and LTE spectrum networks to handle small amounts of two-way data. With low power consumption, good coverage and low parts costs, it is a good case for use in smart asset management, both for governments and businesses.
Possible applications for NB-IoT trackers
1. Smart gas and water meters
Commercial and residential meters can be installed in a variety of locations. The coverage and penetration properties of NB-IoT can effectively facilitate this.
2. Municipal infrastructure
Here the possible applications range from monitoring parking lots, trash bins and environmental conditions to controlling street lighting or even watching out for potholes!
3. Safety
Connecting NB-IoT trackers to a main surveillance system using NB-IoT trackers over a Low Power wide-area (LPWA) network may be more difficult for intruders to disable.
4. Building maintenance
Smart NB-IoT sensors can send status alerts for maintenance issues along with performing automated tasks, e.g., heating and lighting control.
5. Health
A key advantage that this new technology with NB-IoT trackers can offer beyond current offerings is the ability to monitor devices over a much wider range, which could lead to more flexible patient monitoring arrangements
6. Tracking
Again, the greater range of NB-IoT trackers can provide better tracking options, with herd and animal tracking in agriculture a clear advantage.
It remains to be seen how this new branch of Internet of Things will manifest itself, but it is easy to see the potential benefits it brings as it rides along on the connectivity roller coaster.
NB-IoT: a low-cost solution for tracking materials and machines
NB-IoT broadens the acceptance of material and machine tracking solutions. The devices themselves become cheaper, while network access improves, as telecom companies enable access to their NB spectrum with negligible additional infrastructure - most mobile base stations only need a firmware upgrade to support NB-IoT.
Tracking equipment and machinery via an NB-IoT tracker helps keep costs under control. This application differs from traditional approaches to asset management in several areas:
- Deploy low-cost sensors with a powerful battery (- about 1/3 the cost of traditional trackers), taking advantage of both the low power capacity of the NB-IoT network and automatic optimization of battery life.
- The low cost of entry for an asset management system with NB-IoT trackers is easier to justify to the finance department and faster to implement.
- Eliminate constant maintenance, since NB-IoT trackers don't need a battery change for years. There is also little need for preventive maintenance; the devices themselves tell you when something is wrong, you only need to deploy a field team (of one technician) when something goes wrong.
- Using the same NB-IoT sensor to monitor the location of assets both indoor and outdoor in different locations. Moreover, it tracks not only the location of assets but also their status.
NB-IoT asset tracking for reusable assets
The fact that tracking materials and machines via NB-IoT trackers does not require infrastructure makes it the best choice for applications such as tracking reusable assets.
This is true even for very large enterprises, with hundreds or thousands of vendors, which would otherwise require multiple site visits to install and test equipment. The absence of infrastructure configuration makes it a very low-maintenance solution. The NB-IoT tracking sensor has a rechargeable battery that lasts much longer than that of a mobile tracking device.
There is no measure of what you can track with the right NB-IoT asset tracking solution:
- Vehicle tracking: personal cars, commercial vehicles, or even bicycles and motorcycles.
- Supply chain asset tracking: pallets, reusable packaging, field equipment, attached devices in different locations, ...
- Heavy equipment: high-value equipment such as construction machinery, excavators, industrial vehicles and expensive tools such as diamond drills.
- Medical equipment: medical devices, hospital equipment, controlled pharmaceuticals, medical samples and even patients.
- Agricultural machinery: tractors, trailers, tools, packaged products straight from the farm, even livestock.
If you are not yet convinced of the benefits, consider this: an NB-IoT solution for tracking your assets is also quite easy to manage. All-Connects has developed an easy-to-use management application, where all the precious know-how about your linked business assets is clearly displayed, making it easy to track and analyze. It undoubtedly provides the right breeding ground for process reforms and measurable performance improvements, leading to daily optimization of business activities - and is the way forward both small and large enterprises.
Get no-obligation advice from an IoT expert
Would you like to learn more about the possibilities of NB-IoT tracker technology? Not sure which applications could be interesting to optimize the management of your company's assets management? Give us a call on 03 289 55 35, or send us your details below. We will be happy to help you and make you an offer without any obligation.
