Under the partnership, Sigfox will roll out 300 base towers by November 2019 to connect up to 85 per cent of Kenyans to their new Internet of Things (IoT) network.
This will represent 40 per cent of Kenya’s landscape.
Companies interested in the technology will hire developers independently to design their IoT infrastructure and buy the sensors required.
Internet Service Provider Liquid Telecom and France-based network provider Sigfox have signed a deal to provide a smart communications network which will enable Kenyans to monitor water and electricity meters, track wildlife and environmental changes for agricultural use.
Under the partnership, Sigfox will roll out 300 base towers by November 2019 to connect up to 85 per cent of Kenyans to their new Internet of Things (IoT) network. This will represent 40 per cent of Kenya’s landscape.
The network will run on a network which has low power demand and does not require the company to pay for a licence, lowering IoT costs for consumers. Previously, communication with internet-enabled devices depended on Wi-Fi or GSM networks that require data bundles, local network signal coverage and a large power supply.
“Connecting remote sensors over mobile data requires high battery consumption or connection to the mains power supply, which is often challenging or not possible in rural Kenya.
However, with the new IoT network, the sensors will require no SIM card and last up to 15 years without recharging or changing the battery,” said Joel Muigai, head of IoT Strategy at Liquid Telecom said yesterday.
Companies interested in the technology will hire developers independently to design their IoT infrastructure and buy the sensors required.
They will then pay Liquid Telecom to provide the network necessary to link the devices to company databases.
The cost will depend on usage, starting from Sh100 per year per sensor.
So far, four base stations have been established in Nairobi.
The company will expand to Mombasa, Kisumu and Nanyuki where it is in consultation with Ol Pejeta Conservancy to provide a tracking solution for their animals and prevent poaching.
The new base stations will be connected to Liquid Telecom’s fibre network which spans more than 5,000 kilometres in Kenya.
Sigfox operates in 45 countries.
Kenya is the second African country after South Africa where the company is set to provide the Low Power Wide Area Network.
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