What is Narrowband IoT?
Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), also known as LTE Cat NB1, is a low-power, wide-area technology that can run virtually anywhere. It can connect devices to established mobile networks more simply and efficiently, and handle small amounts of occasional two-way data safely and reliably. Its biggest advantage is that it has the following features:
Ultra low power consumption
Excellent extended coverage inside buildings and basements
Easy to deploy into existing cellular network architecture
With network security and reliability
Lower component costs
Ultra low power consumption
Excellent extended coverage inside buildings and basements
Easy to deploy into existing cellular network architecture
With network security and reliability
Lower component costs
NB-IoT :Technical architecture and working principle
NB-IoT is technically based on the existing LTE network and achieves the goals of low power consumption and wide coverage by optimizing LTE components. It can be deployed within the bandwidth of the GSM network, within the guard band of the LTE network, or on an independent frequency band. NB-IoT uses a narrow bandwidth (approximately 180kHz), which is one of its key factors in achieving efficient and low-cost connectivity.
NB-IoT :Application scenarios
NB-IoT is suitable for a variety of application scenarios, including but not limited to:
Smart metering: Such as water, electricity, and gas metering, NB-IoT can realize remote meter reading and reduce labor costs.
Smart cities: Such as street lighting control, parking space monitoring, environmental monitoring, etc., NB-IoT can help cities manage resources and provide services more efficiently.
Smart agriculture: Such as soil moisture monitoring and livestock monitoring, NB-IoT can improve the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural production.
Asset tracking: For fixed or mobile assets that need to be tracked, NB-IoT provides a low-cost way to monitor their status and location in real time.
NB-IoT Future Applications
1.Smart metering measurement
NB-IoT is ideal for monitoring gas and water meters through regular small data transmission. Network coverage is a key issue in the dynamic deployment of smart metering measurement releases. Meters can easily be found in hard-to-reach locations such as basements, deep underground, or in remote rural areas. NB-IoT has good coverage and penetration rate and can be used to resolve this problem.
2. Smart city
NB-IoT can help local governments control street lighting, determine when bins need to be emptied, identify available parking spaces, monitor environmental conditions, and survey road conditions.
3.Smart buildings
NB-IoT connected sensors can send alerts about building maintenance issues and perform automated tasks such as light and thermal control. NB-IoT can also serve as a backup to support building broadband connectivity. Some security solutions can even use LPWA networks to connect sensors directly to surveillance systems, as this configuration is more difficult for intruders to defeat and easier to install and maintain.
4.consumers
NB-IoT will enable wearable devices to provide their own remote connectivity capabilities, which is particularly beneficial for human and animal tracking. Likewise, NB-IoT can also be used to monitor the health status of those suffering from chronic or age-related diseases.
5. Agriculture and environment
NB-IoT connectivity enables the use of tracking technology that will provide farmers with the possibility of providing tracking technology, so sensors equipped with NB-IoT modules can send alerts if an animal moves outside the normal range. Such sensors can be used to monitor soil temperature and moisture and, in general, to track properties of land, pollution, noise, rainwater, etc.
NB-IoT Development and future prospects
NB-IoT, as one of the technologies launched by 3GPP, the international mobile communications standardization organization, has been supported by many operators and equipment manufacturers around the world. With the rapid development of the Internet of Things, NB-IoT is expected to play an increasingly important role in various industries and application fields, especially in those situations where there are special requirements for connection stability, equipment cost and battery life. With the advancement of technology and the deepening of applications, the functions and performance of NB-IoT will continue to be optimized and improved to provide support for global digital transformation.