Kamstrup’s NB-IoT smart water technology

NB-IoT (narrowband IoT) is a communication technology specifically designed for the Internet of Things (IoT). It's a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technology standard developed to enable a wide range of IoT devices and services focusing on low power consumption, wide area coverage, high connection density, low data rates, and cost efficiency. 

Are you interested in learning more about NB-IoT and how it stands out from other communication technologies? In the following, we will take a look at NB-IoT and its most significant characteristics as a communication technology compared to others.

In today’s connected world, network technologies like 4G and 5G have revolutionized how we communicate and access information. While 4G brought us faster internet speeds enabling real-time communication, 5G took it a step further with even higher speeds, lower latency, and the capacity to connect a vast number of devices.

As part of 5G standards, NB-IoT is well suited for the mMTC vision (see above), as it offers a specialised IoT solution, which, instead of focusing on high-speed data transfer, is designed for: 

• Use cases requiring low data rates.
• Reliable coverage in challenging environments.
• Extended battery life.

In general, the longevity of NB-IoT is especially worth highlighting. Throughout its extended lifecycle, this technology will continue to meet industry requirements while ensuring long-term ROI. This also earned NB-IoT an official recognition by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) as a key component of 5G standards. 

Through its integration with existing cellular infrastructure and adaptability to complement the growing IoT landscape, NB-IoT bridges the gap between early technologies and modern innovation in cellular communication. This ensures reliable and extensive coverage, particularly in urban and indoor environments. 

In comparison, other communication technologies are typically better suited for other environments. For example, wireless M-Bus is highly efficient for utility metering applications in short range, while linkIQ® offers more flexibility in industrial settings.

• Low power consumption: daily transmissions for up to 16 years 
• Wide area coverage: extensive coverage in challenging locations
• High reliability: dependable connectivity in areas with poor signal penetration
• Security: LTE security protocols including mutual authentication and end-to-end encryption
• Low cost: cheaper operational costs compared to traditional cellular technologies

 

Which Kamstrup water product features NB-IoT technology?

NB-IoT integration provides lots of beneficial features for metering solutions. For this reason, Kamstrup offers NB-IoT-integrated flowIQ® 2200 water meters. Read more about the flowIQ® 2200 water meter here or find the NBIoT data sheet here.

NB-IoT is a versatile communication technology with a long list of benefits for IoT applications, placing it among the most frequently used technologies across the smart water metering landscape. The benefits of NB-IoT include:

• Mass deployments: NB-IoT is designed to support large-scale deployments, which means that utilities can efficiently manage and monitor vast numbers of meters without compromising performance. 
• Diverse application areas: NB-IoT is used in a wide range of applications beyond water metering, including gas and electricity metering, environmental monitoring, and smart city infrastructure, making it a valuable asset for integrated utility management. 
• Improved energy efficiency and sustainability: One of the standout features of NB-IoT is its low power consumption, enabling longer battery life for smart meters and reducing the need for frequent replacements. 
• Reliable coverage for long distances: By providing robust and reliable coverage over long distances, NB-IoT ensures that meters in remote or hard-to-reach areas maintain a stable connection. 
• Interoperability and standardization: As a standardized technology, NB-IoT ensures interoperability between devices from different manufacturers, simplifying the integration of new meters into existing systems. 
• Suitable for expansion of existing meter park: NB-IoT is highly compatible with existing meter infrastructures, making it easy to upscale operations efficiently without significant overhauls. 
• Deep indoor coverage: Another key advantage of NB-IoT is its ability to penetrate deep indoor environments, ensuring reliable communication for meters installed in basements and other underground locations.  
• No unforeseen costs: With NB-IoT, utilities can avoid unexpected costs from network maintenance and upgrades due to its reliable performance and standardized nature. 

While offering several advantages for smart water metering, NB-IoT does have certain limitations that need to be considered when choosing the right communication technology. These limitations include: 

• Higher cost at high volumes: Compared to other technologies like wM-Bus or linkIQ®, NB-IoT can be more expensive when deployed at high volumes, which can impact the overall budget and feasibility of large-scale implementations. 
• Dependency on tele providers: Because telecommunication providers typically are responsible for providing the NB-IoT infrastructure, companies like Kamstrup cannot independently expand the network, which can limit the network’s flexibility. 
• Higher latency: Compared to other communication technologies, NB-IoT tends to have higher latency, making it less suitable for real-time applications where immediate data transmission is critical.
• Low data transfer rates: NB-IoT is designed for low data transfer rates and therefore restricted in the type of applications it can support, which can affect the ability to implement more data-intensive functionalities.