The technology, called LoRaWAN – Long Range wide-area networks – taps the unlicensed wireless spectrum, allowing sensors to communicate over long distances. The partners claims LoRaWAN supports 'optimal battery life' and add that it requires minimal infrastructure.
"The Internet of Things is already changing our world," said Dr Thorsten Kramp, pictured, Master Inventor at IBM's Zurich Research Laboratory. "Technology advancements like [this] will help to advance that vision by extending the reach, range and longevity of sensors that make up an intelligent world."
LoRaWAN sensors are said to communicate at rates of up to 100kbit/s over more than 100km in favourable environments and over more than 2km in urban environments. This is said to make the approach suited to sending small amounts of data, such as GPS coordinates and climate readings, where broadband is not available.
Looking to support LoRaWAN technology, IBM, Semtech and other companies have set up the LoRa Alliance. This aims to combine hardware and software based on the LoRaWAN standard for telecom operators and network operators, enabling them to offer IoT services to both businesses and consumers.
