16 smart city use cases for IoT and NB-IoT/LTE-M

IoT and NB-IoT/LTE-M use cases are increasing thanks to integration of sensors into larger, more complex systems such as smart city networks and infrastructure monitoring, the data from which is then processed using machine learning or similar techniques to provide actionable outcomes. In smart city, the different use cases are: metering and tracking applications, streetlight applications, monitoring air quality, smart parking, monitoring solution and sheep tracking.

Emerging smart city use cases for IoT and NB-IoT/LTE-M: 

1. Brazil – u-blox, Huawei, Vivo, CAS Tecnologia, smart meter manufacturers and PinMyPet have field tested NB-IoT networks in Brazil for use in metering and tracking applications. The tests uses u-blox’s SARA-N2 NB1 module.
2. Chile – Telefonica, Huawei and Kamstrup have trialled NB-IoT water meters in Chile. Telefonica plans to enlarge the original study size to 300 residential water meters by reusing the 700 MHz frequency band.
3. China – Connected to a factory to NB-IoT IIoT network.
4. China – Working with Shenzhen Water and Huawei to trial smart water meters in Yantian district of Shenzhen. Shenzhen Water deployed 1,200 NB-IoT enabled smart water meters to homes in the region. Worked with Huawei to provide NB-IoT enabled streetlights to Yingtan township.
5. Finland – Set up NB-IoT network to monitor air quality in a retail store in FInland.
6. Finland – Working with Posti to trial ve NB-IoT connected postboxes across Finland. The network will track usage, full/empty status and monitor for damage.
7. Germany – Hamburg is using NB-IoT network for smart parking solutions in the city.
8. Germany – Digital monitoring solution for maintenance of bridges, tunnels and buildings. Sensors monitor factors to predict damage.
9. Germany – Set up a NB-IoT network in Bonn. Connected devices include streetlights, waste containers and air-quality monitors.
10. Greece – Set up a network for monitoring wine from the winery to consumer. Sensors monitor temperature, humidity and light levels. This information can then be accessed by consumers through on-bottle QR codes.
11. Italy – Conducting trials of smart water metering in Turin.
12. Norway – Telia and Nortrace are using NB-IoT for sheep tracking.
13. South Africa – Vodacom is using an NB-IoT network to trial smart water metering on its campus at Midrand, Johannesburg. It uses the 900 MHz spectrum band.
14. South Korea – Revealed a Cat-M1-based Black Box Modem for car parking on mobile and a blood glucose monitor.
15. Taiwan – Trialled an NB-IoT network in basement garages using 700 MHz band. Also trialled connected air-quality monitoring system.
16. USA – Trialling NB-IoT network in Las Vegas, USA for smart city applications.