Building on the success of a Narrowband-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) in China and new 5G connectivity in Asia-Pacific and Europe, digital security provider Gemalto is expanding its wireless module platform to address a growing mass of industrial solutions, including utility meters and smart city solutions.
The company announced that this new platform — the Cinterion ENS22 NB-IoT wireless module — would give developers a single mode NB-IoT connectivity solution designed to meet standards and requirements of the European and APAC regions.
Currently, Gemalto eSIMs authenticate IoT devices, encrypt data and securely manage connections to cellular networks. It said the new solution will offer an integrated eSIM in selected platform products.
“Soldered to the IoT module, eSIMs reduce the size and cost of solutions while strengthening security and reliability. Pre-installed certificates simplify secure onboarding to cloud services by authenticating leading cloud platform providers,” it said.
As of October 2018, Gemalto has deployed over 100 eSIM solutions to mobile operators, operator alliances, MVNOs, car manufacturers and OEMs worldwide.
The company believes that with 3.5 billion devices on the market by 2025, according to an Ericsson Mobile Report in June 2018, cellular connectivity will play a major role in bringing massive IoT to life both on the consumer and M2M markets.
Gemalto also claims that its advanced power management system also boosts energy performance extending battery life for up to 10 years.
"The Gemalto NB-IoT solution strengthens the business case for cellular IoT technology and expands feasibility to use cases that were formerly cost prohibitive,” said Andreas Haegele, SVP IoT Products, Gemalto.
ABI Research’s Dan Shey noted that with Gemalto's successful pilot product and the Chinese government's aggressive NB-IoT goal of achieving 600 million connections in the coming years, Gemalto is well positioned to be a global leader in the NB-IoT category.
Gemalto debuted its Cinterion NB-IoT Platform early in China, a market that is driving global expansion of NB-IoT for IIoT connectivity. However, it noted that IoT is accelerating as well in the European market, with more than 415 million connections expected in the next five years.
“The majority of these connections are emerging in the industrial IoT (IIoT) sector where highly efficient, Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies such as NB-IoT are driving massive expansion,” Gemalto noted.
