Hong Kong companies partner to develop low-cost IoT devices for AsiaPac market

IoT devices
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Internet of Things (IoT) provider Thinxtra and wireless technology innovator Victory Concept are jointly developing IoT devices that AsiaPac companies can use to create scalable and cost-effective IoT applications that improve business processes and people’s lives.

Victory Concept will design and manufacture a range of low-cost IoT devices and sensors to run on the low-power wide-area (LPWA)* Sigfox network that Thinxtra will deploy throughout Hong Kong soon. These devices, and the applications created for them, will also be compatible with Sigfox networks in 32 countries around the world.

Sigfox is the world’s most mature LPWA network and the first global cellular network fully dedicated to Internet of Things. Thinxtra is its exclusive operator in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

Victory Concepts’ Sigfox-enabled devices will provide optimal radio capacity and automated set-up so that they can instantly connect to any Sigfox network and provide great benefits to the customers in the region. With access to low-cost devices, secure connectivity and global scalability, local businesses and entrepreneurs in Hong Kong will be empowered to capitalize on growing worldwide interest in business-to-business and business-to-consumer IoT solutions.

The Thinxtra network will offer companies and researchers in Hong Kong the chance to create new products and services based on IoT. Murray Hankinson, Managing Director of Thinxtra Asia believes that Hong Kong has the potential to be a worldleading IoT design and manufacturing hub. With the skills and facilities to provide a reliable supply of high-quality, low-cost devices in Hong Kong Hankinson believes that the tie up with Victory Concept will help to create the right conditions for IoT innovation to flourish there and spread around Asia Pacific and to the world.

The sentiment is echoed by Victory Concept managing director, Jenny Wong, who says she is pleased to help Thinxtra create the foundations for a thriving IoT ecosystem in Hong Kong. She said that the Sigfox technology is open and reliable, delivering a quality signal over a very wide area and an ideal platform to develop low-cost connected devices. She expects to see them applied in a range of industries for asset tracking and monitoring, and to enable new consumer applications such as smart tracking of pets, bikes, boats and more.

Thinxtra and Victory Concept will initially develop a low-cost environmental sensor, a low-cost GPS tracker and a low-cost tracker that uses only the Sigfox Spot’it geo-location service for asset tracking.

Victory Concept expect to launch their low-cost GPS tracker as soon as Q3 2017, just in time for test with the local Thinxtra LPWA network due to launch in Hong Kong by June 2017.

In addition to partnering with device makers like Victory Concepts, Thinxtra is also working with platform suppliers, systems integrators and solutions developers to create an IoT ecosystem in Hong Kong. Thinxtra is collaborating with Hong Kong Science and Technology Park on research and development, as well as the design of devices, sensors and solutions.

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