Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Spam call epidemic: operators say their hands are tied

      10 July 2025

      Britehouse unit breaks free from NTT Data

      10 July 2025

      Samsung’s bet on folding phones faces major test

      10 July 2025

      OpenAI to launch web browser in direct challenge to Google Chrome

      10 July 2025

      The satellite broadband operators taking on Starlink

      9 July 2025
    • World

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025

      Grammarly acquires e-mail start-up Superhuman

      1 July 2025

      Apple considers ditching its own AI in Siri overhaul

      1 July 2025
    • In-depth

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies

      27 June 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on data governance in hybrid cloud environments

      27 June 2025
    • Opinion

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » Vodacom goes live with first IoT site

    Vodacom goes live with first IoT site

    By Staff Reporter11 May 2017
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Andries Delport

    Vodacom, working with Huawei, has launched its first Internet of things site using narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) technology.

    An existing 4G/LTE site was upgraded to support NB-IoT, using software only. The site is fully compliant with the standardised 3GPP NB-IoT specifications, Vodacom said.

    The live site is on the roof of the data centre on Vodacom’s sprawling campus in Midrand, north of Johannesburg.

    Late last year, both Vodacom and rival MTN announced plans to deploy commercial NB-IoT networks in South Africa in 2017. Both companies used the AfricaCom conference in Cape Town to showcase the technology.

    A range of IoT networks are being built in South Africa using different technologies.

    Dark Fibre Africa subsidiary SqwidNet is deploying a national network using technology developed by France’s Sigfox.

    Vula Investments subsidiary Vula Telematix, meanwhile, is building a network using technology from US IoT specialist Ingenu (formerly On-Ramp Wireless).

    NB-IoT, favoured by the mobile operators, is a low-power, wide-area network (LPWA) technology that allows for new use cases for IoT solutions, Vodacom said.

    “LPWA networks are able to communicate to devices where radio penetration has traditionally not been feasible and with a low power overhead in the communications process,” it said.

    “A key characteristic of LPWA devices is power efficiency, resulting in devices being deployed in field with batteries that could last up to many years.”

    Vodacom’s NB-IoT network runs on existing licensed spectrum, ensuring integrity of the communications channel as well as the delivery of data from the device to the end point, the company added.

    The network uses Vodacom’s licensed 900MHz spectrum to maximise signal strength and coverage.

    “A large portion of our network will only require a software upgrade to support the roll-out of this technology, which means that deploying NB-IoT further across Vodacom’s existing base stations will be relatively quick driven by demand across wide geographic areas,” said group chief technology officer Andries Delport in a statement.

    The site of Vodacom’s NB-IoT deployment in Midrand

    “We have managed to launch new technologies such as NB-IoT despite the severe constraints on spectrum we are facing, particularly with respect to access to additional sub 1GHz spectrum to support mobile broadband.”

    Wider roll-out of Vodacom’s NB-IoT network is already in progress, and will be opened to commercial customer traffic soon, Delport siad.

    Vodacom and Huawei have launched an NB-IoT water metering solution on Vodacom’s campus to test the technology. The solution allows for the automation of accurate water meter readings, for real-time monitoring of water usage on Vodacom’s campus, and the detection of leaks.

    The water meter used for the demonstration supplies water to one of the main buildings on Vodacom’s campus and is connected to Vodacom’s NB-IoT network with an embedded NB-IoT module. The module transmits data at regular intervals back to the water meter application running on its NB-IoT application platform.  — (c) 2017 NewsCentral Media



    Andries Delport Dark Fibre Africa Huawei Ingenu MTN Sigfox SqwidNet Vodacom Vula Telematix
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleVodacom introduces VoLTE on iPhones
    Next Article Snap earnings shock investors

    Related Posts

    Spam call epidemic: operators say their hands are tied

    10 July 2025

    Vodacom, Maziv deal now looks likely after CompCom U-turn

    8 July 2025

    Huawei South Africa Partners Forum 2025: joining hands for a digital, intelligent future

    8 July 2025
    Company News

    AI in project management: a new era of efficiency and transformation

    10 July 2025

    Samsung unfolds the future with thinnest, lightest Galaxy Z Fold yet

    9 July 2025

    Huawei supercharges South African SMEs with over 20 new eKit products

    9 July 2025
    Opinion

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.