Telia Estonia (Telia Eesti) has launched an NB-IoT network covering the entire country, with its first enterprise customer being gas company Energate, connecting gas meters to the NB-IoT platform for remote data transmission at the end of 2018. The launch followed various network tests throughout the year. Toomas Karner, Telia Eesti’s head of IoT, announced that the operator is the first in Estonia to offer national IoT services ‘based on 5G capabilities’, adding: ‘Our network is technologically ready to work without any changes with the next generation of 5G mobile technology.’ Previously, in 2017 Telia Eesti teamed up with Connected Baltics to offer Sigfox-based IoT solutions.
Malaysian mobile operator Celcom Axiata has committed investment of MYR100 million (USD24.3 million) for the next five years to develop its ‘IoT Centre of Excellence’ and deploy IoT-related infrastructure. Back in May 2017 Celcom demonstrated 5G use cases with Ericsson including IoT applications.
Vodafone UK has expanded the ‘V by Vodafone’ consumer IoT product range, adding the ‘V-Multi Tracker’ (clip-on GPS tracker for items such as laptops, bags and keys), the ‘V-Pet Tracker’ collar-mounted device, and ‘V-Bag Tracker’ (waterproof credit-card-size GPS tracker designed to be placed in any luggage). All product functions are controlled/monitored via smartphone applications. Vodafone’s existing range in the UK included the ‘V-Kids Watch’, ‘V-SOS Band’ and ‘V-Home’ products.
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