Arqiva and SIGFOX have launched an Internet of Things (IOT) network, allowing businesses to improve services and security in addition to reducing the costs of connectivity.
The network will allow services such as smart parking and waste monitoring to be connected to a single network in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Sheffield.
Wendy McMillan, managing director of smart metering and Machine-to-Machine solutions at Arqiva, said: "Together with existing connectivity, such as street-level WiFi, these cities are becoming hubs for digital innovation. A whole host of smart city and intelligent building applications can now deliver strong benefits from smart parking and waste level monitoring through to connected smoke alarms."
The network was built upon the 868MHz frequency, which is currently unlicensed and allows devices to be installed quickly, saving costs in addition to time.
The companies said the network is ideal for projects that require long-distance and long-term connectivity with a life of between 15 and 20 years.
Businesses can mix and match the sensors they need to install in order to produce a completed connected service network. Many of these sensors also have a low cost or minor ongoing communication cost to ensure the network is affordable.
Practical examples of how the IoT installation could be used include weighing bins in city centres to see when they need to be emptied by waste removal services.
Rodolphe Baronnet-Fruges, SIGFOX's executive vice president for network and business development, added: "This two-way IoT network, which has been rolled out quickly and easily, eliminates the cost and energy-use barriers to widespread adoption of the Internet of Things by UK municipalities and companies."
