Cambridge, UK – January 15, 2014, Neul Ltd. has unveiled its new two-way, wide-area networking solution for the Internet of Things, called NeulNET™. Based on the Weightless™ open standard, the NeulNET™ system is designed specifically for the IoT, providing coverage, battery life, module cost and simplicity of operation which far outreaches today’s GPRS, 3G, CDMA and LTE WAN solutions.
NeulNET™ comprises every element needed by operators to provide a scalable, secure, resilient and economical service offering, enabling them to capitalise on the huge Internet of Things opportunity. This includes:
- NeulNET™ Connected Device Platform (CDP) which provides cloud-based services for managing service levels, authentication and billing together with device management.
- NN2510 base station for network rollout.
- NT1001 terminal modules incorporating Neul’s Iceni RF transceiver chip.
BT Plc, the largest wholesale operator in Europe, is conducting initial technical assessments of the NeulNET™ system.
“The Internet of Things market has huge potential, but existing short-range and cellular networking technologies are unable to meet the requirements of many applications we see. A networking technology that can provide deep indoor coverage, lasts for many years from a single battery, is simple to use, and comes at the right price point is essential for realising the true potential of the IoT. The NeulNET™ solution promises to deliver on these requirements, and we’re excited to be trialing this over the coming months,” comments Mark Harrop, Director of Mobile Strategy and Wireless Cities Programme Lead, BT Plc.
This solution provides two-way, managed communication with QoS for M2M devices and the Internet of Things. The system is designed to operate in licensed and unlicensed spectrum and works across a variety of frequencies from global unlicensed metering bands (169 MHz or lower) up to and including sub-GHz cellular bands. NeulNET™’s unique ability to use different spectrum allows service providers to use unlicensed spectrum or their own licensed spectrum as they choose.
Stan Boland (pictured), CEO at Neul commented, “The Internet of Things promises a world of new services, lower operating costs and more efficient systems and products which improve quality of life. To enable this, small, super-low cost Things need to communicate with services running in the cloud, often from underground or deep within buildings, and run for many years on a single battery. Until now, network operators couldn’t provide a data communications service to deliver on this promise. Our NeulNET™ system offers service providers a comprehensive solution, enabling them to grow their revenues by capitalising on the IoT opportunity”.
The NeulNET™ Connected Device Platform is offered to network operators as a low-cost service, charged on a ‘per device, per month’ basis, providing and managing all the key components against service level agreements. NeulNET™ supports high volumes of low data Weightless™ devices, providing operators with a customised, agile network solution. The NeulNET™ Connected Device Platform enables end-users to view and configure their terminal applications, such as smart meters or environmental monitors, as if they were a private network. Simple APIs are used to get and push data out to the field.
The NN2510 base station is suitable for mounting on street furniture, e.g. lamp posts or macro cell type installations. Designed for zero-touch deployment, the NN2510 base station requires only Power-over-Ethernet, IP backhaul and an antenna to provide coverage for up to a 5km cell radius.The NT1001 terminal modules incorporating Neul’s Iceni RF transceiver chip, require only a battery and antenna connection. Using two AA batteries these modules will operate for 10 to 15 years and can communicate from deep within buildings and underground. Antennas have been designed for a variety of applications.
