NB-IoT modules selected for smart street lighting system

u-blox, a Swiss supplier of wireless and positioning modules and chips, has announced that its SARA-N2 series of modules are being used in a NarrowBand IoT (NB-IoT) connected smart street lighting control system from Romanian start-up company Flashnet.

With hundreds of existing projects deployed worldwide, Flashnet’s inteliLIGHT smart street lighting remote management solution employs a range of communication protocols. Having identified NB-IoT as strategically important, inteliLIGHT chose to partner with u-blox on the development of its FRE 220 NB range of NB-IoT compatible luminaire controllers.

The controllers can be embedded into most luminaire designs and enable the individual remote control of LED streetlights with electronic ballasts up to 400 W. Switching or dimming of streetlights can be triggered automatically based on preset area schedules. In-depth grid monitoring provides detailed electrical parameters and feedback for any change occurring along the grid, offering a real-time lighting system overview.

Primarily, NB-IoT is a carrier-grade communication technology that promises to transform any smart street lighting implementation in a fast, cost-efficient, plug-and-play project. There is no need for any civil works or communication infrastructure installation; the controller can be attached to the lamp, connecting it and starting it up immediately.

The inteliLIGHT controllers are available as an upgrade for existing lighting installations or in compact form factor, ready to be embedded into luminaires right from the manufacturing line. The embedded controller helps manufacturers offer NB-IoT ready controllers right from the production line, with the benefit of keeping the lamp design intact, without any visible add-ons.

The NB-IoT protocol targets IoT applications that have low-bandwidth requirements, making it suitable for smart lighting. As part of the LTE family of standards, NB-IoT can be supported within existing LTE infrastructure, offering carrier-grade security as well as good penetration and stability. u-blox’s SARA N2 series, claimed to be the world’s first NB-IoT module, combines ultralow power consumption with an extended temperature range in a small LGA (land grid array) form factor.

“The connected street lighting industry already uses a wide range of communication protocols,” said Flashnet CEO Lorand Mozes. “We believe the industry is ready to adopt NB-IoT, and thanks to our work with u-blox we are the first supplier able to offer a robust and fully featured product line-up. By selecting the SARA N2 modules from u-blox we have been able to bring our FRE 220NB range of NB-IoT connected luminaires to market in a very short period of time, to complement our existing range and offer our customers even greater choice.”

Several Flashnet pilot projects are currently underway to prove the reliability of NB-IoT technology, with plans to turn them into large-scale street lighting control implementations. For example, a pilot project has been deployed on the OTE (Telekom) network in Patras, Greece, by Deutsche Telekom Group’s COSMOTE. Specialised smart parking sensors have been installed in existing parking spaces at Patreos Street, with car drivers immediately informed about free parking space locations through a specialised mobile application. Smart lighting systems on Othonos-Amalias Street, which utilise Flashnet’s smart lighting controllers, are meanwhile adjusted to different light intensity levels according to the season and time of the day, reducing electric power consumption by up to 70%.

“Smart cities will be empowered by NB-IoT,” said Samuele Falcomer, product manager cellular at u-blox. “Working with inteliLIGHT to help bring the FRE 220NB range of luminaire controllers to market demonstrates that the SARA N2 series of modules supports applications across all industries in benefiting from NB-IoT connectivity.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Giorgio Pulcini