Just five months after launching the network, Spark has announced that its Cat-M1 IoT coverage now reaches 98 percent of the New Zealand population.
Spark has extended its Cat-M1 Internet of Things (IoT) network to 98 percent of the New Zealand population.
The Cat-M1 network is deployed across 96 percent of Spark’s 4G sites, with the carrier expecting to add more than 2,000 new IoT devices every week.
« On top of being an IoT network and mobile service provider, Spark will also expand its suite of IoT services, a move that will see us work with best-in-class partners to enable startups to enterprises to solve problems, » Spark’s Digital Services head Michael Stribling added.
Spark said its first major Cat-M1 IoT customer is smart metering provider IntelliHub, which previously had to use 2G networks for its services.
« We are using Spark’s new Cat-M1 network to service our current nationwide deployment as we accelerate the installation of 150,000 smart meters to a large portion of [wholesale internet, gas, and electricity provider] Trustpower’s customer base, » IntelliHub CEO Adrian Clark said.
« This is a business-first technology rollout and we are… starting in Tauranga for Trustpower with the help of Spark. »
Clark said IntelliHub will also use the Spark Cat-M1 network to expand into the IoT services of smart gas metering, solar monitoring, and « demand response applications ».
