Innovative Internet of Things network in Scotland

Kerlink will deliver as many as 500 of its highly scalable Wirnet iBTS gateways to project leader Boston Networks over three years, along with its Wanesy Management Center solution for remote real time management of the gateways and overall network. The project will also incorporate Kerlink’s Wanesy Geolocation technology, which allows precise location of end-devices without GPS.

In announcing the €6.75m IoT Scotland project in August 2018, Boston Networks noted that the wireless sensor network will allow businesses and public-sector organisations to monitor the productivity and efficiency of assets and equipment without the need for WiFi or cellular connectivity.

It will instead utilise low-power, wide-area LoRaWAN technology, in which arrays of gateways convert radio signals from IoT devices into data packets, and relay them to a central network server. Kerlink, as a co-founder and board member of the LoRa Alliance, pioneered in bringing cost-efficient LoRaWAN solutions and its broad coverage and energy-saving features to market, with over 100,000 gateways and other products installed for more than 330 clients in more than 69 countries.

The IoT Scotland project will enable diverse uses of the IoT, from tracking of municipal infrastructure like waste bins and street lights to smart building technology that can reduce energy consumption and carbon footprints. IoT Scotland will be available in cities, towns and rural areas, providing large available markets for newly conceived and executed IoT concepts that support consumers, agriculture, transportation, government and other sectors.

Falk Bleyl, Chief Technology Officer, Boston Networks, stated: “Kerlink’s combination of reliable technical capabilities and experience in building out carrier-grade IoT networks in diverse locales makes them a very attractive partner. Key factors included Kerlink’s proposed gateway management solution and its location-based services, which will help IoT Scotland open up commercialisation opportunities for users ranging from start-ups to multinationals. Availability of a robust and secure network will allow them to focus on deployment of sensors and applications with advanced functions.”

Yann Bauduin, Kerlink Infrastructure Services’ EMEA Director of Sales, added: “IoT Scotland will represent the most advanced IoT network in the UK and is an excellent example of how public and private groups can unite to create new opportunities and services with wide benefits. Working with Boston Networks on this nationwide deployment expands Kerlink’s international footprint and underscores the reliability and flexibility of our comprehensive LoRAWAN solutions.”

Connectivity provider Boston Networks is collaborating on and investing in the IoT Scotland project with the Scottish Government (which is directly investing £2.7m), Scottish Enterprise, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the government’s economic and community development agency.