Orange Business Services has begun multiple field trials across Europe to accelerate its LTE-M strategy and support the growth of IoT solutions for enterprise customers.
In Spain, the company — the B2B division of the Orange Group — has launched several pilot tests with strategic customers and device manufacturers within an open, collaborative ecosystem. These pilots span a number of sectors and use cases, including smart utilities, smart cities and facility management, enabling real-world validation of connected devices and services.
Orange Business Services is also preparing to open an LTE IoT City in Antwerp, Belgium, which will be available for customer pilots in the fourth quarter of 2017. In France, the company plans to run internal trials focused on both technical performance and user scenarios beginning in Q4 2017.
Notably, these trials are taking place ahead of the planned commercial launch of the LTE-M network in 2018. The roll-out of LTE-M is part of Orange’s broader programme to support makers of connected devices and modules. To foster innovation and collaboration, the company is inviting device manufacturers to participate in its “Open IoT Lab,” a GSMA-compliant facility located at Orange Gardens.
Early equipment tested on Orange’s LTE-M network covers ruggedized and purpose-built devices for enterprise use. Tested items include a rugged product from Ercogener incorporating a u‑blox module intended for asset tracking and Industry 4.0 scenarios; a waterproof GPS personal tracker from Meitrack based on a Quectel module, aimed at lone-worker safety applications; and a compact GPS tracker from Sercomm using a Sequans Communications module for protecting valuable items.
By running these early pilots, Orange Business Services is validating device interoperability, network behaviour and practical use cases in real environments. This approach helps enterprises assess device choice, battery life, positioning accuracy and coverage before the wider LTE-M launch, while giving manufacturers the chance to refine hardware and firmware in response to live network conditions.
These trials also support the creation of an open ecosystem where operators, device makers and enterprise customers collaborate on standards, certifications and service delivery models tailored to IoT deployments. With LTE-M designed to offer extended coverage, low power consumption and better indoor penetration compared with traditional cellular technologies, these field tests will inform deployment strategies for solutions such as asset tracking, remote monitoring, workforce safety and smart infrastructure management.
Overall, Orange Business Services’ early and cross-border testing programme aims to accelerate time-to-market for IoT offerings, reduce implementation risk for enterprises and stimulate an ecosystem of certified devices and tested services in anticipation of the LTE-M commercial roll-out.