According to GSMA forecasts, by 2020 the number of Internet of Things connections over networks mobile communications and LPWA will exceed 3 billion. Resource counters, wrist watch and bracelets, pet collars, parking sensors - each of the devices will need access to the network. To make this possible, MegaFon and Huawei are actively cooperating in promoting Russian market new communication standard - NB-IoT (Narrow Band IoT). This communication technology for the Internet of Things significantly reduces the energy consumption of end devices, provides significantly better coverage and communication penetration, and increases the maximum number of devices connected to the network.
MegaFon also became a member of the GSMA NB-IoT Forum community, the purpose of which is cooperation in the development of NB-IoT technology around the world. As part of the organization - largest operators(China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, etc.), as well as leading manufacturers of technological solutions (Huawei, Intel, Qualcomm).
The new NB-IoT standard was developed by the 3GPP consortium taking into account the requirements of operators: IoT services must be transmitted over a transmission technology known as a “low-power and wide-area (LPWA)” network and use the operator’s existing infrastructure. In terms of versatility, NB-IoT is the most suitable LPWA solution for enterprises in various industries, with which you can connect utility meters, monitoring sensors, object tracking systems and a host of other devices to the operator’s network. One of the features of the technology is the ability to connect up to 100 thousand devices to one base station cell, which is tens of times greater than the capabilities of existing mobile communication standards. Usage is low frequency range will allow covering such hard-to-reach places as basements, basements, etc. In addition, when operating in the new standard, devices use battery more economically, which allows them to work much longer without recharging. For example, a water meter with an autonomous battery, when operating in the NB-IoT standard, can last up to 10 years without recharging and receive a signal when installed in the basement.
The first devices supporting NB-IoT technologies are expected to enter the market at the end of 2016 - beginning of 2017. NB-IoT technology operates in LTE networks and will be relevant in the further transition to fifth-generation 5G standards.
“MegaFon is one of the key players in the Russian Internet of Things market, using current technologies, our company has implemented many successful projects in the field of M2M/IoT. And today, in partnership with Huawei, we are pleased to announce the transition to high-quality new level, an open NB-IoT standard that allows you to connect a huge number of devices from the most various manufacturers. We are confident that the new technology will make the lives of both our corporate customers and ordinary MegaFon subscribers more mobile, simpler and brighter,” noted Alexander Bashmakov, Director of Infrastructure at MegaFon.
“Huawei, in collaboration with the world's largest operators, has already made great contributions to the creation of NB-IoT technology around the world. We are glad that MegaFon is relying on the most advanced technologies, such as NB-IoT, bringing the Russian ICT market to the global level. This will allow MegaFon to offer its B2B clients effective services, which will also benefit end consumers,” added Dmitry Alferov, Vice President of Service and maintenance Huawei company in Russia.
Prior to the final adoption of NB-IoT standards, Huawei worked with partners to prepare for standardization and test applications to better understand customer needs, accelerate modernization and optimize technical solutions. In the first half of 2016 alone, Huawei completed many joint projects. For example, Huawei tested smart parking services and applications with Etisalat; together with Australian operators (VHA and Optus) and South East Water, it launched testing of an intelligent water supply management system, and also entered into a strategic partnership agreement with the Chinese China Telecom and Shenzhen Water Group to implement a similar system.
At the Innoprom exhibition, MegaFon and Huawei demonstrated one example of the application of the new NB IoT standard - “smart parking”. Using a “smart parking” solution will enable companies - owners of commercial parking lots - to more effectively control parking space, optimize costs for monitoring the occupancy of spaces, and will also provide end users with a convenient interface through a mobile application for reserving, paying and navigating to a parking space.]]>
MegaFon, Huawei and the Big Three presented for the Russian market a comprehensive solution in the Internet of Things segment, which allows housing and communal services enterprises and management companies to quickly receive information about resource consumption, automatically control expenses, instantly determine the balance and get rid of payment gaps. Residents who start using the new technology in their apartments will no longer have to take readings manually; in addition, they will be able to monitor the consumption of electricity, water and gas, as well as compare statistics from different months through a convenient mobile application.
What do company representatives say?
The product has significant advantages over existing alternatives on the market due to the use of the NB-IoT standard, which MegaFon is developing in Russia together with Huawei and plans to put into commercial operation in 2017. Its energy efficiency allows connected devices to operate for up to 10 years without battery replacement, the network range ensures uninterrupted data transmission even in rooms with difficult mobile signal reception, and the low cost of the radio module ensures easy implementation.The convenience of the solution also lies in its complexity: created jointly with a Russian developer information systems in the housing and communal services sector, by the Big Three company, it solves all issues related to the transition to an intelligent metering system - from the production of meters to the installation of a platform for collecting and analyzing readings through one window. The solution from MegaFon, Huawei and the Big Three will appear on the market immediately after the launch of the NB-IoT standard and will comprehensively solve the problem of connecting metering devices to the network for management companies and housing and communal services enterprises.
What is NB-IoT?
NB-IoT, aka Narrowband IoT, is special case Low-Power Wide-area Network or energy-efficient long-range network. We are talking about wireless technology for transmitting small amounts of data over long distances, focused on collecting data from various sensors, counters and sensors. The key disadvantage of the Low-Power Wide-area Network over the entire ten years of development of this technology has been the significant fragmentation of existing equipment and the lack of standardization.The new NB-IoT technology, namely the one used by MegaFon, Huawei and the Big Three, solves the problems of all previous products in the segment of energy-efficient long-range networks and retains its advantages. Firstly, NB-IoT has been successfully tested in Internet of Things devices, applications and services; secondly, it has received approval from the 3rd Generation Partnership Project and will be used in the licensed frequency range, and most importantly, supported by major mobile operators. In addition, sensors using NB-IoT technology are very compact and reliable, and most importantly, they are of low interest to vandals and robbers.
As we have already said, NB-IoT provides a wide coverage area, low power consumption and long service life, the ability to quickly upgrade an existing network, low terminal cost, high reliability and security. The cost of an NB-IoT sensor for measuring the consumption of water, gas, electricity and tracking objects is about $5, and thanks to the small volumes of transmitted data, up to 50,000 such sensors can be connected to one cell.
Is using NB-IoT in apartments expensive?
Even if we imagine that the full cost of installing sensors will fall on the owner of the apartment, the cost of the apartment equipment itself, according to our estimate, can be approximately 1,500-3,000 rubles, depending on the communications layout. According to experts, the price of one NB-IoT is about five dollars. Taking into account the connection, the transition to new Internet of Things technology can cost residents up to 5,000 thousand rubles. It is possible that in fact the cost of installing sensors and the equipment itself may be subsidized by the municipality, as well as third parties interested in obtaining large data on the use of resources.Is NB-IoT just about data collection?
First of all, the project of MegaFon, Huawei and the Big Three will improve the accuracy of data collection for companies in the housing and communal services sector and increase their efficiency through automation and standardization of data, as well as the ability to control in real time. Secondly, it will provide the convenience of residents, who will be able to monitor the consumption of water, heat, gas and electricity at any time, and also refuse the monthly need to write off and transfer data from metering devices.What if you fantasize?
If we go further, we can easily imagine the possibility of not only receiving information about consumption, but also increasing the security of the apartment in case of force majeure and significantly reducing costs by monitoring the services provided. For example, users can receive information about a sudden jump in water consumption at a time when no one is in the apartment. This could signal a leak in the pipes, but with help through the app, the user could shut off the water supply to the apartment. Atypical power consumption would be an indicator of an electrical appliance not being switched off, which could lead to a fire. In addition, connecting metering devices to the Internet and further adding sensors from the Internet of Things segment to communication systems could allow remote control of water supply, electricity and heat in the apartment. Namely, start using smart thermostats like Nest, which are not common in Russia, to control the climate in homes and remotely change the temperature conditions of radiators, heated floors and air conditioning systems in different rooms.Let's get back to reality.
The centralized installation of sensors to control appliances in apartments is a story from a more distant future. IN currently We are still talking only about equipping electricity, water and gas meters with sensors. However, the very fact of implementing the Internet of Things in apartments at the level of housing and communal services enterprises and management companies indicates the approach of significant progress and the availability of more and more new technologies in the IoT segment in houses and apartments. In addition, this once again demonstrates how quickly Russia is implementing mass Newest technologies: development of mobile communications and quality mobile internet, Availability Wi-Fi networks in the Moscow metro and public transport, the prevalence of contactless payment in retail outlets and the development of mobile payment systems such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.A class of wireless telematics devices that transmit data over a radio channel; The basic principle is digital data transmission over an ultra-narrow frequency band at low speeds. A special feature of the technology is the long range of signal transmission from the end device to the receiving station (up to 10 km in urban areas and up to 40 km in open areas); long service life of end devices (more than 10 years without external power supply); cost-effectiveness and ease of implementation of solutions; excellent scalability due to a virtually unlimited number of connected sensors. The technology is designed to collect information from Internet of Things devices and implement machine-to-machine communications (m2m). In Europe, LPWAN operates at frequencies of 169 MHz, 433 MHz, and 868 MHz.
About the NB-IoT standard
The first devices supporting NB-IoT technologies are expected to enter the market at the end of 2016 - beginning of 2017. NB-IoT technology works in networks LTE and will be relevant during the further transition to fifth generation standards.
Story
The history of LPWAN began long before the French Sigfox launched a wireless network of the same name in an unlicensed frequency range in 2009. The company's goal was to connect objects that do not require a lot of energy to operate. The meters were connected first, washing machines etc.
And yet, the first devices that began operating in the predecessors of modern LPWA networks were alarm systems. So, in 1980-1990. topologies and network architectures similar to LPWAN began to appear. For example, AlarmNet, a subsidiary of ADEMCO, connected fire detectors from a wireless network and monitored their operation. The network operated at a frequency of 928 MHz and covered 65% of the population. Subsequently Honeywell acquired AlarmNet.
Another supplier is ARDIS, which founded in the 1980s. wireless network with a wide coverage area, owned by Motorola. Equipment was connected to this low-speed network to automate sales and online transactions. American Mobile subsequently acquired ARDIS, and the new owner moved customer service to more modern networks.
With the gradual development of technology, companies providing monitoring solutions have switched to 2G networks. This happened in the late 1990s. By the standards of that time, 2G networks had ubiquitous coverage.
LPWAN networks
Two main options for implementing an LPWAN network:
- Licensed frequency range (increased power, relatively high speed, no interference)
- License-free frequency range (low power, low speed, limited transmitter duty cycle, possible interference from other players)
Three main technologies for building LPWAN networks:
- NB- IoT– evolution of cellular communications;
- SigFox in the world and Swift , VAVIOT V Russia– UNB license-free LPWAN;
- LoRa is a broadband license-free LPWAN.
NB-IoT will likely capture most of the high-margin market, but license-free technologies have the potential to capture the lower-margin market with billions of connected, simple, low-cost devices.
NB-IoT
The most well-known LoRa protocol, LoRaWAN, is a hardware protocol for managing communications between LPWAN gateways and device end nodes. LoRaWAN network (Long Range wide-area networks, global network long range) is deployed in a frequency spectrum that does not require licensing.
Devices on the LoRaWAN network asynchronously transmit data to be sent to the gateway. Then several gateways that receive this information send data packets to a centralized network server, and from it to application servers.
The protocol is supported globally by LoRa Alliance. The alliance unites more than 500 companies - developers of hardware and software and LoRaWAN operators.
LoRaWAN communication services are provided by 42 operators in more than 250 cities around the world. Experts explain this popularity of this standard low level energy consumption (about 10 years from one battery), large coverage area and low cost of sensors (up to $10).
LoRaWAN and Swift: comparison
1. Communication protocol
One of the main differences between these networks is the communication protocol. LoRa uses LoRaWAN - MAC protocol link layer (OSI media layer 2) for multi-node networks with long range and low power consumption.
The Swift network uses its own Marcato 2.0 protocol. This protocol is closed. The protocol provides encryption XTEA using a 256-bit key.
2. Degree of proprietary
Strizh uses the closed Marcato 2.0 protocol to operate. As a result, to work in this network, gateways and end devices manufactured by Strizh are required. Such an absolute degree of proprietaryism can negatively affect both the cost of devices and their range.
LoRaWAN is characterized by a low degree of proprietary technology. The patent for LoRa chips belongs to Semtech. However, the patent holder is not against several companies producing the equipment. In addition, the end devices are produced by several dozen third-party manufacturers. As a result, the user has many low-cost and effective options for building IoT solutions based on LoRa.
3. Modulation
LoRa uses a modulation method with spread spectrum and variation of linear frequency modulation, and "Strizh" uses an ultra-narrowband method with differential binary phase shift keying DBPSK.
The use of wideband LoRaWAN keying leads to a decrease in the efficiency of using the frequency spectrum. As a result, the number of devices for operating in a certain frequency range is significantly lower than that of the Swift. In the 125 kHz LoRa band required to encode one channel, up to 1250 Strizh devices can be used.
4. Signal bandwidth
The signal bandwidth recommended for a standard LoRaWAN network is 125 kHz. Strizh has a signal bandwidth of 100 Hz. The standard LoRaWAN network has eight wide channels of 125 kilohertz each, while Swift has 5 thousand narrow channels of 100 hertz each. The narrow channel has several features. For example, it requires stability of the frequency of quartz resonators that set the operating frequency of the subscriber device. Otherwise, it is necessary to use expensive temperature-compensated generators, whose frequency error is an order of magnitude smaller.
5. Channel separation
FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) is frequency division multiple access. The shared resource is divided into several devices. This division may be equal or unequal. FDMA is typically used in conjunction with TDMA and CDMA multiple access techniques.
The operating principle of TDMA is that at a certain frequency the base station works for one subscriber for a certain period of time, for another for another, etc. The interruptions are so short that they go unnoticed by the devices.
The operating principle of the almost digital CDMA standard means that all cells operate on the same channel. As a result, the frequency resource is used to the fullest. It is possible to smoothly transition the device from service from one base station to another.
LoRaWAN uses CDMA and TDMA, while Swift uses FDMA and TDMA.
6. Radio relay and mesh networks
The advantage of LoRaWAN is the use of mesh (multipoint) networks. The devices can work as a radio relay station and transmit a signal to the nearest access point. Therefore, providers do not need to install additional access points with wiring to them. An alternative way is to use miniature WLAN radio relay stations that provide communication with the existing access point infrastructure. “Swift” cannot boast of such characteristics.
7. Classes of supported devices
LoRaWAN can serve class A, B, C devices, while Strizh can only serve class A devices. The classes differ in the schedule for transmitting data on the air. For example, Class A equipment transmits information and then waits for a short period of time for a response from the base station. The receiver turns off until the next communication session. Class B devices operate according to a schedule. The transmitter turns on specified time. The base station has this schedule and is therefore able to transmit data to the device according to the schedule. Class C devices keep the receiver turned on at all times so the base station can transmit information at any time.
8. Asynchronous data transfer
The Strizh and LoRaWAN networks are not cellular. This means that devices do not need to wake up to sync data. Sensors can be programmed to send data on a schedule or as information accumulates. Therefore, the battery life is quite long and can reach several years.
9. Object-scale local networks
Even an individual enterprise can build an effective LoRaWAN network due to the lower cost of the base station and the wider ecosystem of hardware and software suppliers. Building a Strizh network at a local facility is also possible, but due to the absolute secrecy of the protocol, selecting the necessary equipment and approving the project may take more time.
10. Number of operators
LoRaWAN networks are deployed by more than a hundred operators in 40 countries and 250 cities around the world. Having secured the support of IT giants and major telecom operators, LoRaWAN has already covered more than 40 countries and 250 cities with a signal. In Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and the Netherlands LoRaWAN is considered a network standard Internet of Things. The Strizh network is represented by the only operator providing services in some CIS countries.
11. Cost of base stations
Investments in the construction of non-cellular LPWANs are quite lower than in mobile LPWANs. Non-cellular LPWAN networks can be easily deployed in both urban and rural areas. The cost of one LoRaWAN base station is estimated at $1000. To cover the territory of the Netherlands, for example, one of the telecom operators acquired 12.
12. Noise immunity
Strizh technology is more resistant to interference. The LoRaWAN signal has an average degree of stability. Anti-interference in the case of LoRaWAN is achieved through coding.
When operating simultaneously in one channel, devices can achieve protection from interference at a level of 10 - 20 dB; in Strizh this figure is up to 65 dB of protection from interference on the adjacent channel.
13. Ecosystem
Strizh solutions are developed by the company itself and several, mainly Russian, equipment manufacturers. The LoRa ecosystem includes more than 500 companies - telecom operators and suppliers of IT solutions and equipment. The LoRa Alliance includes such IT giants as IBM , Cisco, Orange, NTT, Soft Bank, Bosch, Schneider Electric, Inmarsat, Swisscom. The support of these leaders has already led to LoRaWAN becoming the largest popular LPWAN technology in the world. This is evidenced by the number of operators who have deployed this network.
Summary
LoRaWAN is significantly superior to Strizh in the degree of proprietary technology, channel separation, the ability to service several classes of devices, the ability to use radio relay and mesh networks, and construction local networks in enterprises, base station costs, support ecosystem and quantity running networks. This means that customers have much more options for building effective industrial solutions based on LoRaWAN than when using Strizh technology.
LoRaWAN vs NB-IoT: Standards Comparison
1. Easy to deploy
Sigfox
Sigfox is a French company that launched a modern LPWA network in 2009. France. The amount of investment in the project then amounted to €100 million.
The network uses ultra-narrowband technology wireless communication. The network is based on a star topology. By the way, this topology is typical for most LPWAs. Many devices wirelessly transmit data to gateways, and gateways redirect information to the server. Each device on the network can transmit up to 140 outgoing messages per day. The message size does not exceed 12 bytes. The maximum number of incoming messages is 4, the size of each is up to 8 bytes.
The network operates in an unlicensed frequency range. The range of 868 MHz in Europe and 902 MHz in Europe is used to provide communication services. Sigfox networks are deployed in more than 26 countries around the world.
Flaws:
- Unclear further development case of housing and communal services in connection with changing legislation.
- Closed technology, third-party developers do not have access to the network server.
- There is no return channel symmetrical in range.
- Risks of a single supplier and risks of increasing subscription fees
Ingenu
This network uses the RPMA (Random Phase Multiple Access) protocol. The technology is available in 29 countries around the world.
GoodWAN
RT-Invest launched a project for “smart control” of waste collection and removal
August 15, 2019 group of companies " RT-Invest» (created with the participation of the State Corporation Rostec) presented a pilot project for the digitalization of collection and transportation municipal waste based on our own platform of telematics services. Read more.
Beeline and Energomera will jointly promote LPWAN in the electric power industry
On July 26, 2019 it became known that “ VimpelCom» announced its readiness to develop internet of things on Russian accounting market electricity. The company signed a cooperation agreement with the domestic manufacturer of electricity meters with the company " Energy meter" Read more.
J’son & Partners Consulting: state and prospects for implementation of LPWAN technologies
As J’son & Partners Consulting noted, to ensure device connectivity IoT different radio technologies and wireless standards can be used communications. However, according to Russian classifications, the vast majority of wireless networks for IoT can be classified within 6 large segments.
A significant number of IoT devices (about 80%) will be connected through LAN- and PAN-based gateways in the light-use radio frequency bands (Figure 2). In this case, the gateways themselves can be connected via existing networks cellular mobile communications or narrowband wireless IoT communication networks.
Despite the fact that narrowband wireless IoT communication networks are not considered as the most widespread segment wireless technologies for IoT, this type networks are expected to be used to connect IoT devices in many industries economy for a wide range of applications that would be difficult or impossible to implement using other types of wireless communications.
Narrowband wireless IoT communication networks correspond to two separate segments depending on the use of radio frequency bands in a general or simplified manner.
Narrowband wireless IoT communication networks in radio frequency bands used in general (according to foreign classification - in the licensed spectrum) are represented by several standards, among which the most common are NB-IoT and LTE-M of the 3GPP consortium. In fact, these technologies are not independent standards, but rather represent developments of existing cellular mobile communication standards, modified to meet the connectivity needs of low-power devices that typically run on battery power and have limited bandwidth needs.
There are more than a dozen different open and closed standards for narrowband wireless IoT communication networks in radio frequency bands used in a simplified manner (according to foreign classification - in the unlicensed spectrum).
Thus, in the world, narrowband technologies for IoT are divided into two main categories:
- technologies using unlicensed spectrum ( LoRaWAN, SigFox, etc.);
- technologies using licensed spectrum (NB-IoT, LTE-M, etc.)
The highest dynamics in terms of the number of launches in the world are shown by networks in the licensed spectrum (NB-IoT and LTE-M), in which they invest mobile operators.
According to J’son & Partners Consulting, by the end of 2018, these technologies led in the number of launched networks with a share of 39%. In 1 sq. In 2019, the number of operators that deployed networks based on NB-IoT or LTE-M technologies in 52 countries around the world exceeded 100. In June 2016, the standardization of NB-IoT in release 13 (LTE Advanced Pro) was completed.
According to LoRaAlliance, at the end of 2018 the number of LoRaWAN network operators in the world exceeded 100. Sigfox networks (in Russia technology not presented) covers about 50 countries (excluding “dwarf” and island states).
By the end of 2018, the most widespread networks in Russia were “ Swift"(XNB technology) and " Vaviot" (technology NB-Fi). There is also an active construction LoRaWAN and NB-IoT networks. In particular, the company ER-Telecom» at the end of 2018, built LoRaWAN networks in 63 cities, and MTS deployed a federal NB-IoT network in more than 200 cities in 52 regions of Russia.
An analysis of the level of development and standardization of LPWAN technologies and protocols in the unlicensed spectrum showed the following:
- LoRaWAN: it is planned to formalize this technology into an international standard. In Russia, the development of a fundamental standard for protocol LoRaWAN is due to be completed in 2021.
- NXB (“Swift”): a closed XNB protocol developed by the Swift company. It was proposed to use it for mass connection "smart" electricity meters, the final decision has not yet been made.
- NB-Fi (Vaviot): A preliminary national NB-Fi standard was approved in February 2019 Rosstandart. Plan National Technology Initiative(NTI) provides for the development of several more IoT standards in Russia by 2025.
- Sigfox and other technologies (Weightless P, Ingenu, etc.) are not represented in Russia; there are plans for their development by market participants (vendors, system integrators, operators, regulator, etc.) are missing (not declared).
As of July 2019, both devices supporting LoRaWAN, NB-Fi and XNB technologies, as well as network equipment ( infrastructure), including from Russian suppliers. In the near future, the first commercial devices supporting NB-IoT technology are expected to appear on the market.
According to BergInsight forecasts, in 2023, technologies in the licensed spectrum (NB-IoT and LTE-M) will account for about 80% of all shipments of LPWA devices in the world - almost 1 billion units.
In Russia, as of July 2019, the regulator gives preference to technologies in the licensed spectrum, while technologies for unlicensed use are assigned the role of niche ones, which are primarily focused on collecting telemetry from non-critical objects. At the same time, there are risks of monopolization of certain IoT segments ( transport infrastructure, smart meters, etc.) through the use of closed protocols and the provision of preferences to individual market participants.
LPWAN standards will be used primarily in Housing and communal services , smart cities, V logistics, on transport and in agriculture. In general, the Russian market will develop in accordance with global trends, with a delay of 1-3 years from developed countries.
The role of “pure” telecom service providers in the value chain is being reduced for M2M/IoT and the increasing role of service providers based on cloud IoT platforms, system integration services and technical support for M2M/IoT systems.
VimpelCom activated an NB-IoT network for Internet of Things services and devices in Moscow
On July 2, 2019 it became known that PJSC " VimpelCom" (brand " Beeline") activated in Moscow network for Internet of Things services and devices ( IoT) in standard LTE technology based NB-IoT. She can support tens of millions smart devices. Read more.
SCRF made a compromise decision on the fate of the LPWAN standard
The initial version of the commission's decision on this issue caused a lot of controversy. Currently, LPWAN devices operate in unlicensed sections of the 800 MHz band: 864 - 865 MHz, 866 - 868 MHz and 868.7 - 869.2 MHz.
At the penultimate meeting of 2018, SCRF wanted to oblige the launch of base stations of the LPWAN standard to obtain permission to use radio frequencies. In addition, it was planned to oblige the use of only domestic equipment in these networks.
The head of the Association of Participants in the Internet of Things Market, Andrei Kolesnikov, sent a letter to the Minister of Communications, Chairman of the State Committee for Radio Frequencies, Konstantin Noskov, with a request to prevent such a decision from being made. Kolesnikov pointed out that the requirement for mandatory obtaining permission to use radio frequencies will increase the construction time of LPWAN networks, lead to an increase in the cost of communication services and increase the burden on the regulatory authority - Roskomnadzor.
In addition, LPWAN networks are now actively used by startups, including in the student and educational sphere. The introduction of a permitting procedure for introducing radio electronic equipment of the LPWAN standard will make the continuation of this practice impossible.
Kolesnikov also opposed the introduction of a requirement for the mandatory use of Russian equipment. Russian manufacturers, in his opinion, are not yet able to provide the required volume and quality of equipment for the Internet of Things.
2018
Tele2, Ericsson and Rostelecom tested NB-IoT for the energy sector
To provide 4G communications, it was decided to allocate frequency bands 453–457.4 MHz and 463–467.4 MHz to five regions. This list includes the Nenets and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, the Republics of Ingushetia, Sakha (Yakutia) and Chechnya. The auction will take place no later than the second quarter of next year.
2017
MTS opened an NB-IoT ecosystem laboratory
ZTE and velcom launched an NB-IoT network in Minsk
Telecom operator velcom launched in the fall of 2017 Minsk the country's first narrowband network NB-IoT(Narrow Band Internet of Things) for " internet of things" The launch of the NB-IoT network will allow the development of the Internet of Things throughout the city, and not just in pilot zones. Base stations already provide stable coverage in every area: narrowband communications penetrate into the most inaccessible places, through massive walls of buildings and onto basement floors. In terms of signal penetration, the new standard can be 20 times higher than currently used technologies M2M.
Previously, velcom received permission from the State Radio Frequency Commission (SCRF) to use part of the previously allocated frequency range for the Internet of Things. The NB-IoT network operates in the 900 MHz band, which is also used in GSM and UMTS. For the Internet of Things, a small frequency band of 200 kHz is used with guard intervals, which does not in any way affect the operation of other networks.
Cellular operators in Russia may be allowed to use frequencies in NB-IoT mode
At the beginning of December 2017, it became known that State Commission on Radio Frequencies(SCRF) plans to allow the Big Four operators, namely - MTS , "Megaphone ", "VimpelCom" And Tele2, use of frequencies in NarrowBand Internet of Things (NB- IoT). The corresponding draft decision of the SCRF is planned to be considered during the meeting on December 28, 2017.
In particular, it is assumed that operators will be able to launch NB-IoT within the framework of existing permits for the use of standards frequencies GSM , LTE and subsequent modifications according to Russia in various ranges. According to the document, SCRF "takes into account the need for the speedy introduction of promising radio technologies for the development internet of things ".
According to operators, the possibility of using frequencies in the NB-IoT mode will provide a favorable regulatory environment for the deployment of Internet of Things infrastructure, streamline the development of IoT in Russia, and also accelerate the entry into the market of ready-made commercial products and services in this area that have already been tested.
Federal wireless network in the Russian Federation
According to the program, by the end of 2017, a concept will be developed for the development of narrowband communication networks for collecting telemetry information in cities from territories of more than 100 square meters. km. Service needs and approaches to creating and using an LPWAN network will also be identified.
In parallel, the development, improvement and refinement of a software and hardware complex will be carried out, including telecommunications equipment that meets the needs of the development of narrowband communication networks and the collection of telemetric information. It is emphasized that the equipment should be predominantly of domestic production.
At the beginning of 2018, lists will be determined and the capabilities of the domestic industry for the production of telecommunications equipment for the construction of the LPWAN network will be assessed. Later, conditions will be created for the development of a federal narrowband communication network using LPWAN technology, including radio frequencies for network deployment, regulatory legal acts will be adopted, and a pilot project for creating a communication network will be implemented.
In the third quarter of 2018, planning of narrowband communication networks using LPWAN technology, the procedure for its deployment and creation will be carried out. By the third quarter of 2019, LPWAN communication networks will be implemented in the first five cities with a population of more than 1 million people, and domestic equipment will be used on these networks.
By the end of 2022, LPWAN networks using domestic equipment will be implemented in all cities Russia with an area of more than 100 sq. km. And by the end of 2024, widespread implementation of LPWAN networks will be ensured in small towns and urban settlements, as well as along federal highways and railways. CNews, close to SCRF, confirms that this issue will be considered, and a circular on the need to allocate frequencies, according to him, he came “from the very top.”
Lux Research and Stratistics MRC study
MegaFon and Qualcomm jointly tested NB-IoT in St. Petersburg
Testing was carried out on the basis of the MegaFon Federal Research and Development Center in St. Petersburg. A test subscriber terminal based on the Qualcomm MDM9206 global multimode modem was used as the final device, and equipment was used on the network side Huawei. The 900 MHz band was used for testing. The main functionality of the NB-IoT standard was tested according to a jointly approved program. As part of the testing, the performance of Coverage Enhancement Levels methods was also verified, allowing the device to remain online even with very low received signal values, which is especially important for promising Internet of Things devices.
The conducted NB-IoT test allows us to prepare formalized requirements for a large number of IoT module manufacturers, software developers, and system integrators who plan to develop and implement their devices to work on the MegaFon network in the NB-IoT standard.
| MegaFon is preparing infrastructure for mass connection of devices Internet of things. NB-IoT technology will provide massive network connectivity various devices, which are located in hard-to-reach places and must work for a long time without replacing the battery. In addition, this technology involves the use of a licensed frequency range, which guarantees reliability, security and continuity of data transmission. The introduction of NB-IoT technology is another step in preparing MegaFon’s infrastructure for launch fifth generation networks, which will increase not only data transfer speeds, but also network capacity, said Nikolay Sidorov, Head of the Federal Research and Development Center of MegaFon |
| We are pleased that commercially available modules based on the global multi-mode LTE IoT modem MDM9206 are already making the Internet of Things possible. NB-IoT and eMTC are the optimal technologies for connecting and connecting IoT devices such as mobile payment devices (POS), pipelines, water, gas and electricity meters, as well as for creating asset management systems and smart cities. We are satisfied with the results of joint testing of NB-IoT technology and various user scenarios with MegaFon. Our already commercially available Qualcomm MDM9206 chipset makes it possible to solve all these problems now. This is another important step towards the emergence of new services for private and corporate subscribers in Russia", - believes Yulia Klebanova, Qualcomm Vice President for Business Development in Eastern Europe |
Huawei tested smart electricity meters based on NB-IoT in Spain
EDP Distribuição ( Spain) is using narrowband Internet of Things to implement a pilot project as part of the Upgrid program, which, in turn, is part of the European Commission's Horizon 2020 strategy. The NB-IoT infrastructure network was installed by telecom operator NOS using Huawei developments.
According to Huawei, the following tasks are solved using narrowband Internet of Things:
- the proper quality of customer service is maintained - through automatic detection of failures and damage, which reduces the time required to restore service (in the event of natural disasters and other unforeseen situations, it allows you to quickly detect problems and solve the problem);
- online consumption measurement with support for various situations and statistics;
- on-demand response controlled in near real time;
- continuous development of technology through gradual mass implementation by telecom operators (introduction on a large scale will ensure the creation of a developed ecosystem and the implementation of a technological revolution by optimizing functionality and introducing new elements in accordance with the requirements of the “smart” network).
EDP Distribuição has chosen the Parque das Nações area in Lisbon for the pilot launch of the development, with 100 clients involved in the project. Narrowband Internet of Things has already been implemented here and two NOS base stations have been installed, which provides NB-IoT coverage. Intelligent energy management has become an example practical application this technology, Huawei noted.
MegaFon tested the operation of meters in the NB-IoT standard
A comprehensive solution presented in the spring " MegaFon» together with partners, will allow enterprises Housing and communal services and management companies to quickly receive information about resource consumption, automatically control expenses, instantly determine the balance and get rid of payment gaps. Residents who have switched to the new solution will no longer have to take readings manually; in addition, the consumption of electricity, water and gas can be monitored through a convenient application and statistics can be uploaded for a certain period.
The product has a number of advantages over alternatives available on the market, since it operates on the NB- standard IoT, which MegaFon is developing together with Huawei and plans to put it into commercial operation in 2017. Its energy efficiency allows connected devices to operate for up to 10 years without battery replacement, the network range ensures uninterrupted data transmission even in rooms with difficult mobile signal reception, and the low cost of the radio module ensures competitive implementation costs.
The convenience of the solution also lies in its complexity: created jointly with the Russian developer of information systems in the housing and communal services sector, the company " Big Three", it solves all issues related to the transition to an intelligent metering system - from the production of meters to the installation of a platform for collecting and analyzing readings through one window.
“Today we can talk about the emergence of a whole technology market in the housing and communal services sector, and the solutions that appear here then find application in other industries. Of course, this phenomenon is the result of systematic work to increase the investment attractiveness of the industry, notes Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services Russian Federation Andrey Chibis. - We believe that the arrival of a private investor and the definition of clear rules of the game can make the housing and communal services sector truly efficient and customer-oriented. A professional manager, be it an investor or a management organization, is interested in automating processes and, accordingly, reducing costs, increasing controllability and predictability of work. We are confident that the solution being presented today will be another step towards improving the efficiency of housing management and will be able to improve payment discipline among the population.”
Solution from " MegaFon", Huawei and the Big Three will appear on the market immediately after the launch of the NB-IoT standard and will allow them to comprehensively solve the problem of connecting metering devices to the network for management companies and housing and communal services enterprises.
2016: Huawei Practice
Until the final adoption of the NB- standards IoT company Huawei Together with partners, we carried out work to prepare for standardization and test applications in order to better understand customer needs, speed up modernization and optimize technical solutions. In the first half of 2016 alone, Huawei completed many joint projects. For example, Huawei tested smart parking services and applications with Etisalat; Together with Australian operators (VHA and Optus) and South East Water, it launched testing of an intelligent water supply management system, and also entered into a strategic partnership agreement with the Chinese China Telecom and Shenzhen Water Group to implement a similar system.
2015
Market assessment from Stratistics MRC
According to Stratistics MRC, the global LPWA network market volume is estimated at $0.5 billion at the end of 2015. By 2022, according to analysts, the market will reach $46.3 billion. Average annual growth rate (CAGR) of the market in 2015-2022. will be 88.8%.
According to analysts, the private sector of the economy will occupy the largest market share during the forecast period. At the same time, the CAGR indicators of the public sector of the economy for the consumption of LPWAN services will exceed those of the private sector. European countries will dominate the global LPWAN market. At the same time, higher growth rates in total annual turnover will be observed in the Asia-Pacific region.
Telecom market experts predict that soon the familiar mobile operators, Internet providers, banks and Internet companies will transform into fundamentally new businesses. They will become full-fledged integrators of intelligent control systems in both the manufacturing and consumer sectors. Examples of such transformation could be seen at the Innoprom-2016 industrial exhibition.
More and more smart devices with Internet access are appearing around us. Smart houses, Appliances, self-driving cars, automatic systems road control, artificial intelligence, which decides what we should buy - all of them already control the lives of hundreds of thousands and millions of people. And this process will gain momentum.
According to domestic telecom operators, at the beginning of 2016, about 11 million Internet devices were operating in Russia, and by 2020 their number will increase almost 5 times - up to 50 million. What is most interesting is that the maximum increase in such devices is projected for the manufacturing sector and the services. And the total contribution of such digitalization to the Russian economy will be 5 billion rubles by 2021.
The first signs of the introduction of devices that automatic mode exchange data with each other without human intervention, can already be seen and tested. Thus, within the framework of the industrial exhibition “Innoprom-2016”, the operator “MegaFon” acted in an unusual role for itself. Representatives of the company practically did not mention communication and Internet services, but talked about the Internet of Things (IoT), intelligent systems production management and cost optimization, transport and logistics services and scoring systems for banks.
For the widespread implementation of the Internet of things, it is necessary to unify the standards for interaction between the most different devices. Otherwise, the abundance of smart gadgets will begin to harm rather than help.
NB-IoT - a single standard for the Internet of things
id="sub0">To this end, various operators and equipment manufacturers are conducting great job on the development and implementation of final standards. As part of Innoprom-2016, MegaFon, together with Huawei, were the first in the Russian market to demonstrate the operation of smart devices based on the new communication standard NB-IoT (Narrow Band IoT) - “smart parking”. The use of a “smart parking” solution will enable companies that own commercial parking lots to more effectively control parking space, optimize costs for monitoring the occupancy of spaces, and will also provide end users with a convenient interface through a mobile application for reserving, paying and navigating to a parking space.
As for NB-IoT, this communication technology for the Internet of Things significantly reduces the energy consumption of end devices, provides significantly better coverage and communication penetration, and increases the maximum number of devices connected to the network.
According to Marat Nuriev, Director of Sales and Marketing of IoT Solutions in Russia at Huawei NB-IoT has the potential to become a unified technology in Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) networks for IoT operating in licensed frequency bands.
Huawei is already developing a unified IoT operator platform that will allow enterprises from any vertical markets to be connected via open APIs. Thanks to it, there will be no need to build separate IoT platforms for individual projects. “We will also present at the end of 2016 operating system Lite OS, designed for interaction of connected devices with the operator's IoT platform. This is a small open OS that any developer can use in their devices,” said Marat Nuriev.
In terms of versatility, NB-IoT is the most suitable solution for “energy efficient long-range networks” for enterprises in various industries, which can be used to connect utility meters, monitoring sensors, asset tracking systems and a host of other devices. One of the features of the technology is the ability to connect up to 100 thousand devices to one base station cell, which is tens of times greater than the capabilities of existing mobile communication standards.
The use of the low-frequency range will make it possible to provide coverage to such hard-to-reach places as basements, basements, etc. In addition, when operating in the new standard, devices use battery more economically, which allows them to work much longer without recharging. For example, a water meter with an autonomous battery, when operating in the NB-IoT standard, can last up to 10 years without recharging and receive a signal when installed in the basement.
“NB-IoT enables small, low-cost devices that have very low power consumption and will help find new applications for IoT technology in industry,” he said. Alexander Bashmakov, director of infrastructure at MegaFon.
The first devices supporting NB-IoT technologies are expected to enter the market at the end of 2016 - beginning of 2017. NB-IoT technology operates in LTE networks and will be relevant in the further transition to fifth-generation 5G standards.
“When choosing certain technologies, we are obliged to take into account their prevalence, possible coverage area, compatibility of operator networks in different countries, openness of protocols, production volume of both network and user equipment. In this regard, the upcoming global communication standard of the “fifth generation” will be much more effective for both ordinary subscribers and businesses than any other alternative technologies. This determines our choice in favor of 5G,” noted Alexander Bashmakov. - For this reason, MegaFon and several other operators in the world are very actively involved in the process of its creation and standardization. For example, our company has become a member of the GSMA NB-IoT Forum community, the purpose of which is to collaborate in the development of NB-IoT technology around the world. The organization includes the largest operators - China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafon, as well as leading manufacturers of technological solutions - Huawei, Intel, Qualcomm."
MegaFon also talked about technical issues that need to be resolved to develop the IoT segment. “We must address the enormous growth in the number of devices served by one base station, and also significantly reduce network response time. It is also worth adding support for so-called Mission critical communications, that is, ensuring high availability and guaranteed delivery of data for particularly important applications, life systems, etc. These issues will be resolved within the framework of NB-IoT and subsequently 5G,” said Alexander Bashmakov.
IoT implementation areas
id="sub1">The key industries for IoT implementation currently are:
transport and logistics (vehicle fleet management, telemetry, traffic optimization, etc.);
Housing and communal services and electric power industry (smart measurements, control and optimization of resources, remote control in real time);
consumer sector (location of children and the elderly, security of apartments and real estate, smart home);
medicine;
finance (management of ATMs, payment terminals, payments);
production and trade ( remote control, inventory, POS/vending, automation).
MegaFon projects in IoT
id="sub2">To confirm their words, MegaFon also spoke about implemented projects in the field of IoT. One of the largest of them was the Platon truck traffic control system. Currently, 2 million special thermo-SIM cards have been installed in the complex’s equipment. These SIM cards are linked to the vehicle registration number. The use of sensors along the route provides electronic control on the road, checking the presence of a ticket and debiting a fee.
Another example of the use of M2M solutions is the project with Mostaxi (analogous to Yandex.Taxi and Uber).
In addition to “smart parking,” at the MegaFon stand, visitors were shown a gas meter with a SIM card. In 2009, the 261st Federal Law on Energy Efficiency was adopted, which legalized “smart” metering devices.
Currently in Russia there are about 300 thousand meters in apartment buildings or private buildings, which, through cellular communication connected to servers. This allows you to remotely transmit all readings from metering devices. MegaFon occupies one of the leading positions in this market segment.
Thus, Gazprom equipped about 2,700 connection points on gas mains and substations. Each of them contains a MegaFon SIM card, which transmits data in real time.
In addition, the operator signed an agreement with the Rosseti company to connect all substations of this enterprise (about 300 thousand) to the central control panel through a mobile operator. This allows you to collect information about the opening or closing of doors, transmit video images, air temperature, and readings from measuring instruments.
MegaFon also featured projects in the banking sector. Software solution operator based on algorithms machine learning, will allow VUZ-Bank (part of the banking group of the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development) to receive the correct recommendation on solvency risks in real time potential clients. An exclusive IT platform will help bank specialists further assess the level of risks associated with the client’s loan obligations. The contract amount was 3 million rubles per year.
Currently, MegaFon has an agreement on express assessment of clients' solvency with Sberbank. The company also spoke about the high interest in the scoring service based on machine learning on the part of other financial and credit organizations in Russia.
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