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Orange has announced plans to deploy a Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) network based on long range technology across metropolitan France, becoming the latest telecommunications operator to focus on the Internet of Things (IoT).
The operator aims to generate roughly €600 million in IoT revenue by 2018 as part of its Essentials 2020 strategic plan. The rollout is intended to enable widespread connectivity between sensors and devices in smart cities and other IoT applications, with initial deployment beginning in the first quarter of 2016 and progressing across France thereafter.
Stéphane Richard, Chief Executive Officer of Orange, commented on the opportunity: “By 2020, we believe there will be more than 25 billion connected objects in the world. Beyond connectivity, Orange is also involved in the distribution of connected devices, in the aggregation and processing of data from those devices, and in offering value‑added services in areas such as health and wellbeing, the connected home and smart cities.”
To address the diverse requirements of connected devices and supporting technologies, Orange plans to invest in a portfolio of solutions that strengthen its IoT capabilities. Device connection needs vary according to speed, criticality and the frequency of data transmission. Orange will offer compatible, interoperable services and platforms for both consumer and enterprise customers so they can operate across different networks and use cases.
Orange has been running trials of a LoRa-based network in Grenoble in partnership with more than 30 companies. Those experiments have tested key network use cases such as frequent object location, remote control of devices and sensor data collection. Feedback from these trials has helped Orange refine service offerings and improve overall quality as it prepares to expand the network nationally.
The planned LPWA rollout aims to support low-power, long-range communications that are particularly well suited for battery-operated sensors, asset tracking, environmental monitoring and other IoT scenarios where devices transmit small amounts of data at infrequent intervals. By combining network deployment with device distribution, data aggregation and value‑added applications, Orange seeks to position itself across the full IoT value chain.
Orange’s approach emphasizes interoperability and scalability so that businesses and municipalities can adopt IoT solutions without being locked into a single technology or vendor. As cities and enterprises increasingly deploy connected sensors and systems, the expanded network coverage is expected to facilitate new services in public infrastructure management, utilities, healthcare monitoring and smart home applications, among others.
These initiatives reflect a broader industry transition toward dedicated IoT networks that balance coverage, battery life and cost for large-scale sensor deployments. With trial experience and strategic investment underway, Orange is preparing to support the growing market for connected objects while offering platforms and services to turn device data into actionable insights and commercial services.