22 December 2016

BT Tower will host a low power long range radio device as part of an Internet of Things network across London.

The 180 metre BT Tower has become the world’s highest building to host an Internet of Things (IoT) base station. 

The iconic building now forms part of the expanding Things Connected network in London that was launched by Digital Catapult in September 2016.

Things Connected will be an open IoT testbed, free of charge for registered users across London. Digital Catapult says it will help it to drive IoT experimentation in areas such as traffic and transport services, energy management and environmental sensing. The network will be switched on in early 2017.

Working with Digital Catapult and Everynet, which specialises in solutions for end to end IoT connectivity, BT is supplying 25 of the 50 low power radio access base stations in London. Eighteen – including one at the BT Tower – are currently in place and the rest will be installed during the current financial year. 

The base stations use long range WAN (LoRaWAN) technology. As well as allowing internet enabled devices to have long range, sensors that feature the technology use very low power resulting in long battery life and a low cost solution for delivering IoT applications.

Everynet is providing the low cost network infrastructure and IoT platform for ‘Things Connected’.

“Installing the IoT base station at a record height on BT Tower will ensure the local area becomes a critical part of the Things Connected network,” says Chris Sims, MD strategy, marketing and mobile, BT wholesale and ventures.

“The network will be instrumental in bringing about London’s transformation as a truly smart city, advancing its position as one of the best places in the world to live, work and do business.”

Digital Catapult plans to extend the Things Connected network across the rest of London with low power wide area network (LPWAN) technologies. It also intends to create similar networks in other parts of the UK.

Connecting Cambridge

In a separate development announced earlier this month, Digital Catapult has selected CW (Cambridge Wireless) to deliver a government-funded programme of support to help UK SMEs and entrepreneurs develop IoT enabled services and applications in Cambridge.

The government’s IoTUK Boost initiative aims to address barriers to entry into the IoT marketplace across the country, with the selected partners spanning from Bristol to Yorkshire. (Also see Startupbootcamp looks to give the UK an IoT edge, p2, Sep 2016 issue.)

As one of six partners selected across the UK, the CW programme will make use of the city-wide LoRaWAN network, which is currently being deployed by the Smart Cambridge programme as part of its work with the Greater Cambridge City Deal.

With more than 400 members, CW is an international community for companies involved in the R&D and application of wireless and mobile, internet, semiconductor and software technologies.  

It has formed a core partnership with Everynet, the LoRa Alliance, Iotic Labs and Smart Cambridge, which will be supported by the University of Cambridge and a variety of technology businesses as the programme gathers pace. 

CW will coordinate a support programme for businesses to test LPWAN solutions that focus on core challenges facing Cambridge.

At least 10 companies will be selected to participate in the programme. Successful SMEs will be coached in the development of market-ready products and services and provided with training and development kits. Winning solutions will be showcased at the CW International Conference in the summer of 2017.

Further announcements will be made about the programme in January. 

Businesses and innovators interested in how they can test out their IoT innovations, or become mentors for the programme, can register their interest by emailing LPWANboost@cambridgewireless.co.uk