Connecting remote spaces like underground car parks or basements is quite a challenge without the right technology. Narrowband-IoT was designed especially for these cases.
Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) is a type of Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) radio technology that connects devices to the Internet of Things (IoT). Things that could never be connected before are now part of an LTE-based network with excellent coverage, running on a licensed spectrum. NB-IoT offers deep coverage, low-cost hardware and long battery life.
Vodafone was the first to complete a successful trial on a live commercial network for Narrowband-IoT in Madrid, a significant milestone on the path towards even more connected devices.
GSMA definition: Narrowband-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is a standards-based Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) technology developed to enable a wide range of new IoT devices and services. NB-IoT significantly improves the power consumption of user devices, system capacity and spectrum efficiency, especially in deep coverage. Battery life of more than 10 years can be supported for various use cases. Supported by all major mobile equipment, chipset and module manufacturers, NB-IoT can co-exist with 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile networks. It also benefits from all the security and privacy features of mobile networks, such as support for user identity confidentiality, entity authentication, confidentiality, data integrity and mobile equipment identification. The first NB-IoT commercial launches have been completed in 2017/18.