Latest news with #NB-IoT
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Cellular connections to outpace LPWAN, radio in Indian utilities: Airtel Business-IDC study
NEW DELHI: Cellular connectivity, led by Narrowband-Internet of Things ( NB-IoT ), are likely to outpace the growth of low-powered wireless access network (LPWAN) and other radio technologies in India's utilities sector over the next four years, according to the findings of a study conducted by the International Data Corporation (IDC), commissioned by Bharti Airtel 's enterprise arm. The growth of NB-IoT will be supported by a low-cost of ownership, standardised wireless chipsets and modules, security, and reliability and availability, the study found. The Airtel Business-IDC study found that the growth rate of cellular connections, including NB-IoT, in the utilities segment is expected to increase by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.6% between 2023 and 2027. By contrast, the LPWAN, including LoRaWAN and Sigfox, and radio (including RF mesh) segments are expected to grow at annualised rates of 17.8% and 13.5%, respectively, over the same period. In India, NB-IoT is being extensively utilised under the National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM), which envisages the conversion of 222.4 million meters into prepaid smart meters. However, just 32.90 million smart meters, or about 14.8%, have been deployed across India, according to the latest data available on the NSGM dashboard. 'Telecom service providers in India are further investing in upgrading the underlying network infrastructure, including 4G and NB-IoT networks. This improved connectivity will encourage the adoption of cloud platforms and services, offering greater scalability and flexibility for utilities companies,' IDC analysts Nikhil Batra and Swathi Arunaa said in the report. NB-IoT provides cellular-based connectivity with wide coverage and low power consumption, making it ideal for large-scale smart metering deployments, the analysts said. 'By investing in reliable connectivity solutions, utilities can ensure the seamless integration of AMI and smart metering into their operations, thereby driving the success of India's National Smart Grid Mission,' according to the analysts. The country's top telecom carriers, Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi), are all bullish on the growth prospects of IoT which has become central to their enterprise segment strategy. Gopal Vittal, vice chairman & managing director of Airtel, at the telco's most recent post-earnings conference call said, 'We continue to add muscle to our digital portfolio with cloud…cybersecurity, financial services, IoT and CPaaS and all of these are getting additional investments.' For instance, Secure Meters in partnership with Airtel Business has successfully deployed 1.7 million NB-IoT smart meters across Bihar. Secure has developed its own smart meters with NB IoT communication module, head end system, and meter data management system, which have been integrated with Airtel's IoT platform to ensure seamless cellular connectivity. This large-scale deployment is supported by Airtel's (NB-IoT/GPRS) network, and includes a network feasibility tool and a SIM services management portal to assist Secure in effectively planning and implementing smart meter installations.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Annual tech spend of utilities sector to reach ₹32,500 cr by 2027
Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is emerging as the preferred connectivity choice for Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), supported by a projected rise in India's utilities sector technology spend to ₹32,500 crore by 2027, according to a white paper released by data and market intelligence major IDC and backed by Airtel Business. The sector's spending has been rising at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.7 per cent since 2022, when it stood at ₹14,500 crore. This surge in investment underscores the sector's commitment to digitalisation, seen as crucial to tackling persistent high aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses and operational inefficiencies. While India's AT&C losses fell to 15.4 per cent in FY23, this remains nearly double the global average of 8–9 per cent, the paper noted. The government's Smart Meter National Programme (SMNP) aims to reduce AT&C losses to 12–15 per cent by 2025. This target is based on replacing 250 million conventional electricity meters with AMI systems to improve the financial and operational performance of power distribution companies. However, while over 222.4 million meters have been sanctioned for conversion under the National Smart Grid Mission (NSGM), only 20.85 million — around 9 per cent — had been converted as of February, the paper highlighted. The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of physical objects embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies that enable them to connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the internet. These devices range from everyday household items such as Wi-Fi routers, smartwatches, and Bluetooth devices to smart fridges, LED lighting, RFID tags, and sophisticated industrial equipment. NB-IoT, a cellular-based connectivity technology, offers wide coverage and low power consumption, making it ideal for large-scale smart metering deployments. Cellular connections (including NB-IoT) in the utilities segment are expected to grow at a CAGR of 25.6 per cent during the 2023–2027 period. With a broad portfolio of IoT offerings, Airtel Business provides a scalable foundation for connected devices, including connectivity options such as NB-IoT, 5G, 4G, and 2G, along with applications like head-end systems, meter data management, and prepaid billing hosted on Airtel Cloud. In partnership with Airtel, Secure Meters has successfully deployed 1.7 million NB-IoT smart meters across Bihar. Airtel's IoTHub serves as a central platform for managing IoT deployments, enabling meter life-cycle management, data visualisation, and analytics. In 2023, Airtel became the first Information and Communications Technology (ICT) service provider in India to connect over 20 million devices through its IoT solutions. In the smart utilities domain, Airtel offers solutions that go beyond connectivity—supporting AMI service providers with end-to-end system uptime tracking and custom-built tools to assess the feasibility of large-scale deployments. The company has pitched these integrated solutions to utilities across the country.
Business Wire
04-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
GCT Semiconductor and Iridium Sign MOU to Collaborate on Integrating Iridium NTN Direct
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GCT Semiconductor Holding Inc. ('GCT') (NYSE: GCTS), a leading designer and supplier of advanced 5G and 4G semiconductor solutions, today announced its collaboration with Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM), a leading provider of global voice and data satellite communication, to integrate the Iridium NTN Direct℠ service into GCT's advanced GDM7243SL chipset. GCT and Iridium will work together to expedite the development of a new Iridium® network-enabled Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) chipset based on requirements for 3GPP Release 19. Share GCT and Iridium will work together to expedite the development of a new Iridium® network-enabled Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) chipset based on requirements for 3GPP Release 19. Both companies will jointly explore opportunities, business models, use cases, and commercial deployments requirements for the new Iridium network-enabled NB-IoT chipset, designed for the next wave of 5G Advanced that will integrate satellite technologies into 5G. 'GCT is thrilled to collaborate with Iridium, a leading innovator in satellite IoT applications,' said John Schlaefer, CEO of GCT. 'Building on our expertise in 4G, 5G, and NTN technology, along with our leading multi-mode IoT chip, GDM7243SL, we are excited to broaden our reach into the non-terrestrial market. Working with Iridium, our goal is to address the growing need for trackers, satellite phones, and other IoT solutions.' 'Integrating Iridium NTN Direct with GCT's chipset will enable their customers to experience truly global, reliable standards-based connectivity in a compact, efficient form,' said Greg Pelton, CTO, Iridium. 'GCT is an innovative partner, forward-thinking, and deeply engaged in helping bring this next-generation service to market.' About GCT Semiconductor Holding, Inc. GCT is a leading fabless designer and supplier of advanced 5G and 4G LTE semiconductor solutions. GCT's market-proven solutions have enabled fast and reliable 4G LTE connectivity to numerous commercial devices such as CPEs, mobile hotspots, routers, M2M applications and smartphones, etc., for the world's top wireless carriers. GCT's system-on-chip solutions integrate radio frequency, baseband modem and digital signal processing functions, therefore offering complete 4G and 5G platform solutions with small form factors, low power consumption, high performance, high reliability, and cost-effectiveness. For more information, visit Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1955. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding GCT's collaboration with Iridium and ability of GCT's 4G/5G chipsets to address additional markets. Words such as 'believe,' 'project,' 'expect,' 'anticipate,' 'estimate,' 'intend,' 'strategy,' 'future,' 'opportunity,' 'plan,' 'may,' 'should,' 'will,' 'would,' 'will be,' 'will continue,' 'will likely result,' and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside the Company's control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause actual future events to differ materially from the expected results, include, but are not limited to: the ability of the Company to develop its 5G products and generate revenue; the ability of the Company to enter into and meet the obligations under partnership and collaboration agreements; the ability of the Company to grow and manage growth profitability and retain its key employees; the Company's financial and business performance, including the Company's financial projections and business metrics; changes in the Company's strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, forecasts, projected costs, prospects and plans; the Company's inability to anticipate the future market demands and future needs of its customers; the impact of component shortages, suppliers' lack of production capacity, natural disasters or pandemics on the Company's sourcing operations and supply chain; the Company's future capital requirements and sources and uses of cash; the ability of the Company to raise sufficient capital to fund its operations; the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, including the growth of the 5G market; the risk that the Company may not be able to repay its debt; the risk of economic downturns that affects the Company's business operation and financial performance; the risk that the Company may not be able to develop and design its products acceptable to its customers; actual or potential conflicts of interest of the Company's management with its public stockholders; and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in the Company's filings with SEC, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and those disclosures under the "Risk Factors" section therein. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Business Wire
03-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Soracom's Reliable IoT Connectivity Powers BinSentry's Livestock Feed Solutions
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Soracom, Inc., a global IoT platform provider with full cellular MVNO capability, announced today that BinSentry, an agriculture technology company, is leveraging Soracom's IoT building blocks and connectivity to enable its machine learning-enabled sensors to support intelligent, automated feed management solutions for feed mill operators, ag industry vertical integrators, and livestock farms. Accurate inventory management and supply chain efficiency traditionally have been challenging for suppliers, sellers, and buyers of livestock feed because monitoring the amount of feed inside a bin or a silo requires frequent time-consuming and potentially unsafe manual checks. Often, workers at feed mills, vertical processing plants, or livestock barns climb tall ladders multiple times each day and bend over the side of a silo to look deeply into it to assess the amount of feed remaining inside. 'We have up to 76,000 points we're measuring inside of a silo, and about 9,600 inside a feed bin, and we measure every single one of them about 50 times every five seconds,' said Nathan Hoel, Co-Founder and CTO of BinSentry. 'We now monitor 40,000 devices and send as much raw data back to the cloud as we can from our sensors to then apply AI to that raw data–about half a million total measurements–just to get an accurate assessment of the volume inside of a single bin.' These requirements led BinSentry to Soracom and the company's complete package of reliable cellular IoT connectivity, flexible SIM usage and billing, and MVNO agreements covering more than 180 countries and territories across more than 360 carriers. To make it all work, BinSentry required reliable IoT connectivity to its on-site sensors spread widely across mostly-rural areas in North American markets. The company experimented with a number of connectivity technologies, including LoRaWAN and NB-IoT, before choosing LTE Cat-M1 because it ran off the same widespread, existing network as LTE phones. BinSentry offers time-of-flight sensors that can be placed inside large feed bins, and that use infrared light pulses to measure feed levels. The image and distance data that is collected is transmitted back to the cloud to enable the creation of 3D images of feed bin inventories. It's an intelligent, automated remote monitoring solution that quickly and safely provides feed mills and others with extremely accurate inventory data. 'What we discovered was that having access to as many different carriers as possible in rural areas was extremely important, and so we needed an MVNO with as many carrier agreements as possible who would allow us to easily switch SIMs from one carrier to another when we need to,' Hoel said. 'BinSentry's experience is evidence of how reliable cellular IoT connectivity can power new business models in the agriculture industry, and other verticals as well,' said Kenta Yasukawa, Ph.D., CTO and co-founder of Soracom, Inc. 'Being bearer, cloud and hardware-agnostic allows us freedom to partner directly with our customers to provide the right building blocks to enable and scale their IoT deployments.' About BinSentry BinSentry is an agricultural technology company developing an innovative Internet of Things (IoT) solution which enables feed mills and livestock producers to effectively monitor on-farm inventory, dramatically increasing operational efficiencies. Powered by solar and operating on low-power, long range networks, their cutting-edge solution installs in less than 10 minutes and delivers data to the cloud, reliably and without interruption. Equipped with a wealth of actionable insights that BinSentry's software delivers, BinSentry customers can automate ordering, prioritize production, and optimize the transportation of feed - eliminating feed outages while gaining more insight into animal performance. Reach out today, to learn about how BinSentry can revolutionize your business! About Soracom Soracom is a technology partner to more than 20,000 startups, SMBs, and enterprises. Soracom offers robust solutions specifically designed to make it easy to build, operate, and scale IoT deployments. Customers trust Soracom for affordable, reliable connectivity that accelerates speed to market, makes it easy to connect to any cloud, and offers access to a worldwide partner ecosystem. More information is available at
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iridium Partners Syniverse to Power Global D2D Satellite Connectivity
Iridium Communications IRDM recently teamed up with Syniverse, a top provider of mobile connectivity solutions, to enable the global deployment of its new Iridium NTN Direct service, a cutting-edge, standards-based Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) service. The initiative aims to provide direct-to-device (D2D) and narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) connectivity across the globe, seamlessly integrated with terrestrial mobile is known for its unique Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, offering reliable global voice and data communication services. With the launch of Iridium NTN Direct, the company is expanding its footprint to support NTN services that directly connect consumer devices and IoT infrastructure, without the need for traditional ground-based cell further highlighted the GSMA 2025 Industry Survey, which states that 85% of MNOs interested in NTN services prefer LEO solutions for their global coverage capabilities. Iridium NTN Direct meets this demand with a fully deployed, owned and operated satellite constellation and globally harmonized MSS spectrum. Iridium NTN Direct is a standards-compliant service aligned with the 3GPP Release 19, designed to support D2D messaging, NB-IoT communication and SOS services for emergencies. This capability unlocks opportunities for a broad spectrum of industries, includingconsumer devices, automobiles and industrial applications in agriculture, transportation, logistics, energy and true power of Iridium NTN Direct lies in its integration with Syniverse, whose infrastructure supports roaming, interoperability, authentication and billing services for more than 830 mobile operators and 600 carrier customers across 170 countries. This integration is crucial for ensuring carrier-grade service quality, scalability and seamless global connectivity for Iridium's new satellite offering. Through Syniverse's global IPX backbone, Iridium NTN Direct will emerge as a user-friendly solution for MNOs, allowing them to extend their networks beyond terrestrial 3GPP Release 19, which standardizes many aspects of NTN and D2D communications, is expected to be finalized by late 2025. Following this, Iridium-connected devices supporting NTN Direct are slated to hit the market in MNOs compete to capture emerging markets and meet growing demands for uninterrupted connectivity, especially in rural and industrial applications, Iridium NTN Direct is likely to offer a reliable, integrated solution for their subscribers. Iridium has been making solid R&D investments to boost its technology infrastructure. The company expects to generate about $1 billion in annual Service revenues by 2030. To achieve this long-term goal, management is focused on developing several services, including Satellite Time and Location (STL), Midband services, D2D and satellite-based personal communication devices. In January 2024, the company unveiled Project Stardust, marking the evolution of its D2D strategy through the development of a 3GPP 5G standards-based NB-IoT NB-NTN service. In September 2024, the 3GPP approved Iridium's offer to expand the capability of NB-IoT for NTN into the official Work Plan for 3GPP Release 19 (set to conclude in the fourth quarter of 2025). This will likely be a key platform for its consumer-focused D2D services for smartphones and wearables. It will also support inbound roaming for IoT devices/applications, on its NB-IoT satellite network and provide reliable, worldwide coverage for these devices and applications. Standards-based chipsets are expected to reduce costs for manufacturers and customers using Iridium's global network, making it easier to add satellite connectivity alongside cellular. This could open up new opportunities in industries where satellite was once too expensive and support strong IoT growth for Iridium in the years ahead. Iridium currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Shares of the company have declined 20.5% in the past six months compared with the Zacks Satellite and Communication industry's fall of 16.2%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Some better-ranked stocks from the broader technology space are Juniper Networks, Inc. JNPR, InterDigital, Inc. IDCC and Ubiquiti Inc. UI. JNPR presently sports a Zacks Rank #1(Strong Buy), while IDCC & UI carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks is leveraging the 400-gig cycle to capture hyperscale switching opportunities inside the data center. The company is set to capitalize on the increasing demand for data center virtualization, cloud computing and mobile traffic packet/optical convergence. Juniper also introduced new features within the AI-driven enterprise portfolio that enable customers to simplify the rollout of their campus wired and wireless networks while bringing greater insight to network operators. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 4.88%.IDCC is a pioneer in advanced mobile technologies that enable wireless communications and capabilities. The company engages in designing and developing a wide range of advanced technology solutions, which are used in digital cellular as well as wireless 3G, 4G and IEEE 802-related products and networks. It has a long-term growth expectation of 15%.Ubiquiti's effective management of its strong global network of more than 100 distributors and master resellers improved its visibility for future demand and inventory management techniques. In the last reported quarter, Ubiquiti delivered an earnings surprise of 33.3%. Its highly flexible global business model remains well-suited to adapt to the changing market dynamics to overcome challenges while maximizing growth. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR) : Free Stock Analysis Report InterDigital, Inc. (IDCC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Iridium Communications Inc (IRDM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ubiquiti Inc. (UI) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
