Dutch telecoms group KPN said Thursday that The Netherlands had become the first country in the world to implement a nationwide long range (LoRa) network for the so-called Internet of Things.
Connecting everyday objects to networks, allowing them to send and receive data, is widely seen as the next major evolution of the Internet and one that may transform how many businesses operate and people live.
The rollout of a low data rate (LoRa) mobile communications network is critical to connect objects as many may not be able to link up with home or work Wi-Fi networks to gain Internet access.
"As from today the KPN LoRa network is available throughout The Netherlands," KPN said in a statement.
"This makes The Netherlands the first country in the world to have a nationwide LoRa network for Internet of Things (IoT) application."
In the initial phase, the network was rolled out in Rotterdam and The Hague in November.
But it was stepped up across the country due to "substantial customer interest", said KPN.
The LoRa network is complementary to KPN's networks for the 2G, 3G and 4G phones.
KPN has already reached deals to connect some 1.5 million objects, a number which should steadily grow now that the LoRa network is available across the country.
Tests are being carried out at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam—one of Europe's busiest air hubs—for baggage handling.
Meanwhile in the Utrecht rail station an experiment is under way to allow LoRa to monitor rail switches.
At the port of Rotterdam depth sounders have been fitted with devices to connect them to the Internet of Things network.
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Dutch firm KPN starts network for 'Internet of Things'
ab3a
2.3 / 5 (3) Jun 30, 2016This won't end well.
ab3a
not rated yet Jul 07, 2016As one expert researching the smart grid pointed out to me: even with just a smart meter, one can tell what people are doing in their homes, how many live there, how often they watch TV, when they eat meals, when they're having a party, etc.
Include data from a washer and dryer, a water heater, a refrigerator, a thermostat, a smoke detector, and a few other miscellaneous devices, and you might as well live in a glass house. And then without any semblance of privacy, interest groups will campaign to governments to explain to you rubes how you really should live. At first you might not mind it. And then they'll tell you how many times you can celebrate in a month, what to prepare in your meals... and that's how a good idea goes bad.