Vodafone has announced plans to double the size of its European NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) network by the end of 2019.
NB-IoT delivers industrial-grade, low-power wide-area connectivity tailored for applications such as smart street lighting, remote health monitors, and a wide range of wearable and asset-tracking devices.
Vodafone’s NB-IoT service is already operational across multiple countries, including the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, South Africa, and Turkey.
In Europe, Vodafone will double the number of cell sites supporting NB-IoT by the end of next year. The company also plans further expansion of its NB-IoT coverage in South Africa and Turkey.
Claiming the world’s largest NB-IoT footprint, Vodafone is also preparing launches in additional markets such as the UK, Romania, and Hungary.
Vodafone says the decision to increase NB-IoT investment is driven by growing demand from enterprise customers seeking reliable, low-power connectivity for large-scale IoT deployments.
“NB-IoT gives businesses access to 5G capabilities a year before we expect large-scale consumer availability and I believe this will be a catalyst in the widespread use of IoT by enterprises,” commented Stefano Gastaut, Vodafone IoT Director.
“Our NB-IoT network reinforces our position as the premier telecoms company for IoT and means that our customers can connect the next generation of devices to the world’s largest and most secure international network.”
Vodafone’s current IoT scale is significant. The company supports over 74 million IoT connections, including embedded telematics and connected services in vehicles from manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, Porsche, SEAT, Volkswagen, and Yamaha.
Beyond automotive, Vodafone supports smart metering deployments for energy providers including Centrica, EDF, and nPower. It also provides connectivity for consumer and industrial devices from vendors such as Amazon (Kindle), Bosch, Panasonic, Philips Lighting, and TomTom.
What do you think about Vodafone’s NB-IoT expansion plans? Share your views in the comments.
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