T-Mobile Czech Republic announced on Thursday plans to trial an Internet of Things (IoT) network with a view to potentially rolling it out nationwide.
The operator, in partnership with Blue Cell Networks – a provider of advertising, marketing and retail technology and services – and France-based IoT specialist SigFox will deploy the network on T-Mobile base stations in the Czech capital Prague.
Sigfox’s ultra-narrowband (UNB) technology uses low-frequency, typically unlicensed spectrum to carry data over long distances, at a low cost and with lower power consumption. It has been rolled out in a number of countries, including in the U.K. by infrastructure company Arqiva.
"The pilot operation is designed to sample the technological and practical possibilities of SigFox’s technology. The pilot operation will run on real devices in a real environment," said SigFox, in a statement.
Depending on the outcome of the Prague pilot project, T-Mobile, Blue Cell and SigFox intend to extend the IoT network nationwide.
"We are excited to bring the benefits of cost-effective and energy-efficient Internet of Things connectivity to the Czech Republic," said Rodolphe Baronnet-Frugès, executive vice president international business development at SigFox.
