NZ Businesses to Benefit from IoT Network, Chorus Underway With Proof of Concept

Chorus has announced recently that it is underway with a proof of concept for a Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) Internet of Things (IoT) network. The proof of concept was undertaken in Takapuna and Torbay on Auckland’s North Shore.

Chorus CEO, Kate McKenzie, said, "We're excited about the opportunities the Internet of Things offers New Zealand businesses. The benefits go far beyond simple efficiency improvements, cost-cutting and revenue generation

“The proof of concept in Auckland substantiated our belief that there is a symbiotic relationship between Chorus and IoT network technologies. Our extensive, nationwide network of assets including 280,000 telephone poles, 6,000 street cabinets, 600 exchanges and 200 masts on high sites, means we will be able to offer levels of IoT network coverage that competing networks will struggle to achieve.

 "More and more businesses are showing tangible benefits from IoT here and overseas and it’s clear that attitudes are changing. IoT's set to become mission critical for New Zealand businesses.”

Chorus looks after the country’s fixed telecommunications network. The concept makes use of Chorus' existing street network assets to provide localised, deep network coverage which enables sensors to communicate with the IoT network from what would typically be hard-to-access locations, such as underground wastewater or sewage pumping stations.

With LoRaWAN entire cities can be covered with a few base stations, with limited infrastructure investment. The game-changing technology gives unprecedented reach and unlimited applications and can be easily and quickly installed. Smart lighting, bicycles, parking sensors and waste management are some areas that could benefit from this technology.

Chorus already monitors 25,000 sensors and alarms across its access and aggregation network, buildings and outdoor plant. The adoption of an integrated IoT solution with analytics presents an opportunity to improve network utilisation with less downtime and streamline the customer experience.

The LoRaWAN solution operates similarly to Wi-Fi but over long range, with limited bandwidth and without the need for a nearby router. It caters specifically for IoT sensors that send regular, small amounts of data. Typically, an IoT access point in an urban area will give network coverage out to between 1.5km and 3km. An innovative approach has been taken for powering the LoRaWAN access points on the Chorus street infrastructure.

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