Sigfox IoT networks are now live in 70 countries. The French firm claims launches in three new markets in 2020, increasing its total country count by four and a half per cent compared with the end of 2019. Sigfox’s network in the UK has reached 90 per cent coverage, meanwhile.
The three newest Sigfox launches are in Russia, Ivory Coast and Senegal. Sigfox operators have also launched networks in Greece, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and Thailand, towards the end of 2019.
The UK arm of Sigfox operator WND reached 90 per cent population coverage in the UK in 18 months, since launching in mid-2018. It is presenting its Sigfox-based network as the UK’s “first wireless public network for secure sensor data”.
Tim Harris, chief executive at WND UK, commented: “Our Sigfox data sensor network is fully operational today. We now have over 130 channel partners and the list is growing by the day. These companies are using the network for real-world commercial applications – from metering to flood detection to legionella monitoring.”
In total, Sigfox has said its so-called 0G network, offering ultra-narrowband connectivity, now covers five million square kilometres and one billion people, across all five continents. Ten thousand new devices have registered on its networks “since” December 2019. It claims 15.4 million devices in total, shifting 24.6 million messages per day.
Kuala Lumpur based Xperanti has launched a Sigfox network in Malaysia, as the nation’s exclusive Sigfox operator. It is working with operator Celcom Axiata Berhad to target battery-powered tracking and monitoring of trailers, containers, livestock, and the environment. Celcom Axiata Berhad wants Sigfox as a complement to LTE and 5G, it said.
Azlan Zainal Abidin, chief enterprise officer at Celcom Axiata Berhad, commented: “Our collaboration with Xperanti IoT allows Celcom to be the nation’s most comprehensive IoT network provider, creating a positive awareness regarding technology advantages, as well as educate enterprises on the complexity of initial investments and management.”
Meanwhile, Things on Net has launched as the exclusive Sigfox operator in Thailand. It started in late 2019 with a target of 1,400 base stations by 2020.
Roswell Wolff, president of Sigfox in Asia Pacific, commented: “Thailand has one of the region’s highest levels of digital investment, setting a pace to be matched across Asia. Thailand 4.0 is being embraced across industries and users creating demand for exactly the massive IoT services Things on Net and Sigfox offer.“
