M1 and Nokia stage NB-IoT demo with bonus 5G robots

Image credit: Prasit Rodphan/Shutterstock.com

Singaporean cellco M1 and Nokia say they have conducted Singapore’s first “live” Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) demo (live in a lab, anyway), along with a bonus 5G demo featuring robots.

The NB-IoT demo, conducted at M1’s advanced networks lab, simulated an environmental monitoring telemetry service. It featured a remote room temperature and humidity sensor application, whereby data from the sensor was collected and shared via NB-IoT connectivity.

M1 and Nokia are currently deploying a nationwide NB-IoT network, expected to be ready in 2017. NB-IoT networks and devices are designed to deliver a superior network performance for M2M (machine-to-machine) communications with robust indoor penetration and low power consumption, while delivering the benefits of licensed spectrum such as network reliability and security.

NB-IoT Standards were finalized by GSMA standards body 3GPP in June 2016, and commercial NB-IoT devices are expected to be available by mid-2017.

In a second demo, showcasing three robots with 5G connectivity, M1 and Nokia illustrated the benefits of the low latency (less than 1 millisecond) provided by 5G networks in mission-critical applications.

5G’s near zero latency and massive bandwidth scalability will enable complex industrial automation use cases, such as intelligent, real-time, responsive automated production, minimizing manufacturing errors and material waste.

M1 and Nokia said that the NB-IoT and 5G robot demos highlight how both technologies complement each other in enabling IoT.

“Our successful NB-IoT demo provides compelling examples of how NB-IoT can support new and innovative IoT applications to drive business productivity and enhance our quality of life, and accelerate Singapore’s journey to becoming a Smart Nation,” said Denis Seek, Chief Technical Officer at M1.

“We are excited to partner with M1 as it prepares to connect the growing IoT market. Being at the forefront of networking technology, we have the skills and the experience to enable M1 to offer the most innovative services to their subscribers and to help them generate new revenue streams from IoT,” said Nicolas Bouverot, head of Asia South at Nokia.

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