Business-focused service provider Kordia together with partner Thinxtra says the deployment of a dedicated new Internet of Things (IoT) network, being established nationwide, has officially passed the halfway mark.
Business-focused service provider Kordia together with partner Thinxtra says the deployment of a dedicated new Internet of Things (IoT) network, being established nationwide, has officially passed the halfway mark.
The opening of a major new site in Hamilton last week pushed the outdoor coverage of the network to 50 per cent of New Zealand’s population.
The network also racked up an unofficial world record for the greatest distance over which data has transmitted on a SIGFOX IoT network to date, with data sent 212 kilometres between a Kordia site in North Canterbury and another in Wellington.
“The transmission surpassed a previous distance record of 195 kilometres, which occurred between the Pyrenean Mountains and Toulouse in France”, says Aaron Olphert, Kordia’s CTO.
Darren Robinson, who heads global sales and marketing at cornerstone investor Rakon, says the go-live of Hamilton is a significant milestone which further validates the Kiwi tech company’s decision to invest with Thinxtra.
“The Hamilton site ensures comprehensive coverage for the Golden Triangle region of Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty,” says Robinson.
“This area is home to some of New Zealand’s most important primary producers, as well as the country’s most important logistics hubs.
“The IoT has the potential to revolutionise these industries and turbocharge the contribution they make to New Zealand’s economy, and we are delighted to play our part in realising that potential.”
“Right now the SIGFOX IoT network is deployed in four major cities reaching 50 per cent of the population. We have the biggest IoT coverage available in New Zealand and with the rollout well ahead of schedule, in around 14 months the entire country will be covered,” adds Olphert.
Kordia is Thinxtra’s preferred partner for the deployment of a SIGFOX network and has Official Channel Partner status to resell connections and solutions on this network.
In addition to Hamilton, the network is available in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. It will be deployed in Dunedin, Palmerston North, Tauranga, New Plymouth, Whangarei, Napier and Hastings in the coming months.
SIGFOX networks are designed and built specifically for the IoT. As a dedicated wireless network, it provides the infrastructure to connect millions of low-energy industrial objects (which can include water meters, environmental sensors and tracking applications) which need low-cost connectivity and emit small amounts of data. Gartner, Inc. estimates that the IoT will support total services spending of $235 billion in 2016, up 22 percent from 2015.
“With this infrastructure in place, New Zealand companies can start deploying IoT applications and benefiting from the ability to track just about anything, record information accurately with unprecedented frequency and gain information-driven insights to improve efficiency and performance in a range of industries,” says Olphert. “In other words, now that the network is in place, the IoT can move from talk to action.”
Loic Barancourt, CEO of Thinxtra, SIGFOX Network Operator (SNO) for New Zealand and Australia, notes that SIGFOX is an international standard, which means the network is fully compatible with other deployments around the world. “This is important particularly for exporters and any organisation with an extended supply chain, as it means their IoT sensors will deliver information from anywhere on the planet. With the rollout progressing rapidly, we’re looking forward to seeing industry embrace the IoT.”
Shaun McBride, Thinxtra New Zealand deployment manager, adds that Thinxtra has formed partnerships with a number of tertiary institutions including the University of Auckland, Massey University and ARA Technology Institute to become leaders in the study and development of new IoT applications. He also says there is significant interest from New Zealand technology companies adapting and creating new devices which work on the SIGFOX network, which delivers the low cost, low power consumption, long range, simple and secure data transmission required for IoT applications.
