The new offering which uses the recently deployed Narrowband will be available from the end of October in approximately 5,000 municipalities for over 75% of TIM’s 4G network with complete availability set for January 2018.
Back in April, TIM successfully trailed the first smart water meter which is capable of automatically sending meter readings via the live NB-IoT network. The field tests were carried out in partnership with SMAT, Società Metropolitana Acque Torino in conjuction with TIM subsidiary Olivetti.
Thanks to NB-IoT being available throughout the country the commercial development of services like smart meters is possible. These meters will allow not only real time monitoring of consumption and the telemanagement of gas, water and electricity transmission and distribution networks, but also district heating and environmental management
TIM recently updated its NB-IoT technology on its entire LTE network, allows areas where coverage is poor, such as under stairs, manholes, basements, cellars or garages still able to receive service. Moreover, NB-IoT technology means the costs of connected objects can be optimized and ensures security and reliability typical of mobile networks on the licensed spectrum.
Through TIM’s Open Lab in Turin which launched last year November, the company says it has been actively testing the chipsets and smart objects of the main players to guarantee the market full interoperability with its network. To date 110 companies with 39 active collaborations, of which 12 validation activities have already been completed, the company added.
TIM has said that this news marks only the first of many innovations on the network with its subsidiary Olivetti, the company says that it is developing a portfolio of IoT solutions that will be able to fully exploit the speed and low latency of the LTE/5G networks, such as industrial automation or interconnection between cars and infrastructure, to enable the evolution towards autonomous driving scenarios.
