Entel introduces the first commercial NB-IoT network, a crucial piece of technology for the growth of the Internet of Things

October 7, 2023

The Internet of Things, often known as IoT, is crucial for collecting, evaluating, and making decisions in real time in our increasingly interconnected environment. This enables businesses to run more effectively and offer their consumers greater value.

As a result, by making this service available, Entel, staying true to its mission, creates a wealth of opportunities to foster the development and uptake of IoT solutions across a variety of industries and applications, allowing its network of more than 6,500 sites to support the digital acceleration of the nation’s businesses.

NB-IoT is anticipated to be the dominating technology, accounting for 37% of the total with more than 1,462 million IoT connections by 2025, when there will be more than 3,952 million IoT connections, according to Gartner. Operators all over the world have adopted this technology as a result of this favorable environment. The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) estimates that there are 130 mobile networks of this sort operating in more than 33 countries, with the development of these networks concentrating mostly in the United States, China, and Europe. This ensures a sizable ecosystem of suppliers and the scaling of this technology. This is Chile’s first narrowband IoT commercial network.

IoT’s potential value is always expanding. McKinsey estimates that by 2030, users and customers of IoT goods and services will have amassed value totaling USD 12.5 trillion.

The Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) cellular technology, which is a part of LPWA (Low-Power Wide-Area) networks, was developed to connect devices with particular needs, such as, for instance, sensors that need batteries with greater autonomy and coverage in difficult-to-access areas. This is in contrast to existing cellular technologies, which are designed to connect smartphones and devices with similar needs.

It is a technology with greater levels of availability and security (carrier class), nationwide coverage, and is a part of the 5G standard, ensuring technological continuity, compared to other existing LPWA networks like LORA and Sigfox.

The following are the primary characteristics of narrowband IoT:

Energy usage: NB-IoT is intended to use substantially less energy than traditional networks because devices do not need to deliver data all the time. This lessens the environmental impact and increases the battery life of IoT device batteries.

Across the country, IoT devices can connect in remote and difficult regions, like rural areas and underground commercial sectors, because they have up to six times the range of conventional networks.

Flexibility: Makes it possible to employ simpler, less expensive hardware, making it suitable for a variety of applications. It can also be implemented by utilizing the infrastructure of already-existing mobile networks, which lowers the cost and expedites the installation process.

Scalability: This feature is crucial for the widespread adoption of IoT since it enables the vast connecting of IoT devices on a single network due to the effective utilization of spectrum.

The 5G standard, which coexists with LTE and 5G technologies, reduces the risk of technical obsolescence by becoming an essential component of the progress of mobile telephony.

Security: 3GPP-approved LTE mobile network security mechanisms are used by globally standardized technology.

“For 20 years, Entel has led the market in connecting people. By linking things wherever they are to hasten the digitalization of the nation’s businesses, we hope to establish ourselves as leaders in the industry through the use of 5G and narrowband IoT. In this way, businesses using Entel’s NB-IoT can connect their operations to the best mobile network in the nation with confidence, ensuring quality and consistency of service between Arica and Punta Arenas. We can also add our digital talent to help you get the most out of your data and safeguard your most important assets. We have all the tools necessary to promote IoT adoption and help businesses realize its full potential. remarked Vice President of Entel Julián San Martn

NB-IoT use cases

Because of its unique features, NB-IoT is perfect for usage in all kinds of stationary IoT devices and sensors that send and receive modest amounts of data, in challenging-to-access locations, and that demand little power. By industry, some of the most well-known applications include:

Cities: NB-IoT is used to monitor and manage a variety of public services, including lighting, traffic signals, parking lots, and trash cans, among others.

Utilities: The water, power, or gas network can be controlled and intelligently measured using NB-IoT, allowing for the monitoring of use or the condition of the infrastructure.

Mining: This technology is perfect for use in sensorification because of its wide coverage, energy efficiency, and dependability, which makes it easier to measure operational indicators on the job site.

Logistics and transportation: It is also particularly helpful for tracking the whereabouts of goods and assets, as well as for handling specific transit circumstances like temperature or humidity.

Agriculture: Projects are being created to monitor and manage the crop and resources of the fields in locations with limited access and coverage, and this technology is also applied in the sector of agriculture.

IoT Entel Narrowband

Entel stands out for its dedication to excellence in both the caliber of its technology infrastructure and its customer service. Entel’s Narrowband IoT can provide continuous coverage over the entire territory, even in difficult-to-reach places, which is vital for critical IoT applications because it was created on the greatest mobile network in the nation.

Entel’s long-term commitment to ongoing technical advancement helps to foster innovation by ensuring the scalability of solutions, ensuring the continued and secure operation of the enterprise IoT.

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