BT has announced the launch of its NB-IoT network to support the growth of UK smart cities and industries. The network, which boasts coverage of 97% of the UK population, leverages EE’s mobile network infrastructure.

NB-IoT – as a low-power network technology – holds the promise of revolutionising various sectors, including utilities, construction, and the public sector, by securely and reliably connecting devices to automate numerous processes currently reliant on manual intervention.

With the introduction of BT’s NB-IoT network, low-data-demand assets such as street lighting and underground water sensors can now be seamlessly integrated into a smart network. This not only extends the battery life of these assets but also promises enhanced efficiency and cost reduction, for instance, by automatically detecting water leaks in infrastructure.

The deployment of this network marks a significant milestone in BT’s efforts to drive the evolution of smart cities. It enables a plethora of use cases aimed at monitoring and optimising energy consumption, storage, and distribution. Moreover, the agricultural sector stands to benefit from IoT connectivity, as evidenced by BT’s previous trials involving sensors to monitor haystack temperature and mitigate fire risks, along with ensuring the security of livestock through gate sensors.

Chris Keone, MD, Division X at BT, said: “Growing numbers of businesses are beginning to realise the benefits of IoT applications, and our UK-wide NB-IoT network opens up a wide range of connectivity solutions for monitors, sensors, and other smart devices.

This initiative further enriches BT’s existing IoT portfolio, which includes offerings such as eSIMs and IoT national roaming SIMs tailored to the needs of UK businesses, thereby extending connectivity options for customers on the move or situated in remote locations.

“Whether it’s building the smart cities of the future or reducing carbon emissions, our network will provide customers with the reliability and efficiency they need,” concludes Keone.

(Photo by Andrea De Santis on Unsplash)

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Tags: bt, connectivity, ee, europe, internet of things, IoT, mobile, nb-iot, network, networks, smart cities, uk