Narrowband IoT: Next generation ‘game-changer’ in industrial IoT deployment - PLDT Enterprise

PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the largest integrated telecommunications company, PLDT, is extending its extensive study of the Internet of Things (IoT) with the latest release of a whitepaper on Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT). NB-IoT is a cutting-edge connectivity solution promising both cost-effectiveness and scalability, presenting a game-changing opportunity for businesses aiming to streamline the deployment of IoT devices.

Narrowband Internet of Things or NB-IoT is another type of wireless connectivity protocol that co-exists with 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G. However, unlike the aforementioned protocols that were specifically designed for Voice and Data, NB-IoT runs on minimal bandwidth that extends its reach to far-flung areas and consumes minimal power that extends battery life to as much as 10 years, which makes it the ideal solution for massive-type IoT deployments.

“NB-IoT is a low-power, low-bandwidth wireless connectivity that can effectively scale thousands to potentially millions of connected IoT devices across different industries such as utilities, agriculture, and smart cities. It can be an alternative in reducing infrastructure costs when connecting sensors and devices, making it an affordable option for businesses of all sizes needing real time insights for business decision and strategy,” says Melvin Jeffrey Chan, PLDT Enterprise Vice President and Head of Enterprise Innovation, Business Development, Consulting, and Presales.

Chan said that the PLDT Group has prepared a whitepaper that shares the group’s insights on NB-IoT and the broad vision for the entire IoT ecosystem—from critical to massive-type deployments, downloadable at pldtenterprise.com/storage/app/media/iot/whitepapers/nb-iot-for-enterprise.pdf

In the whitepaper, PLDT Enterprise pointed out that NB-IoT provides “end-to-end telecom-grade encryption for data transmission, secure device identification, and authentication. As it operates on a licensed spectrum, NB-IoT is a more secure option as compared to unlicensed communication protocol. This ensures that IoT devices are protected from interferences, hacking, and unauthorized access.”

For IoT applications situated in hard-to-reach locations, this connectivity solution reduces frequency in maintenance and significantly lowers operating costs for deployment of devices and sensors.

The low-cost nature of devices and components used by this connectivity protocol allows for wide adoption, especially by agricultural enterprises seeking to upgrade their farming methods and increase yields, and by local government units striving to become smart cities to attract more investments and improve the quality of life of their constituents.

“This whitepaper is part of PLDT Enterprise’s commitment to support local enterprises, particularly startups, through solutions and products tested and developed from its cutting-edge innovation units,” said Chan. “We leave no stone unturned to become the preferred digital transformation ally in the country. We put ourselves in our customers’ situations and take a closer look at their businesses and industries to provide adequate but cost-effective solutions. We believe that by doing this, we can go further together,” he added.

PLDT Enterprise has since explored the potential use cases of NB-IoT that could address issues in the delivery of vital services in the country and are already in talks with several utility and industry leaders in its roll out of NB-IoT.

The market for connected devices is rapidly expanding, especially in the industrial sector.

A study done by Mayabrahmma, Beesetty, Shadaab, and Vineet estimated that the global NB-IoT market was valued at $634.4 million in 2021 and projects it will expand to reach $32.5 billion within a decade. NB-IoT has been identified as a fast emerging, class-leading low power, wide area network (LPWAN) technology that enables a new range of industrial IoT solutions.

Chan further added that key considerations which could hasten the adoption of NB-IoT include network coverage and capacity, efficient device management, and a robust infrastructure that has the analytic tools, security measures, and cloud platforms to maximize the value of collected data.

To know more about NB-IoT, visit https://pldtenterprise.com/enterprise/products/internet-of-things.