Etisalat Digital uses NB-IoT to enable smart parking in the UAE
Etisalat Digital is running trials of smart parking solutions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi using NB-IoT technology to enable drivers to easily locate a free parking spot.
The mobile operator has deployed 35 parking sensors across three outdoor locations. Since the pilot launch in February 2016, Etisalat Digital has made some enhancements to the network, changed the sensors and refined the associated application and dashboard.
Etisalat Digital sees NB-IoT enabling a new generation of connected sensors with long battery lives that can be used for a wide range of applications. The operator believes NB-IoT, which uses its existing network assets, will enable it to address opportunities that wouldn’t be cost-effective with existing cellular technology. In addition to smart parking, Etisalat Digital is exploring the use of NB-IoT for smart lighting, smart metering and connecting wearable devices that can help people navigate around theme parks and other crowded places.
The learnings from the pilot
The pilot was designed to test NB-IoT technology in a real environment and give Etisalat an end-to-end understanding of the solution’s functionality, together with the requirements and challenges associated with smart parking. It also acts as a demonstration system that can be used to show customers and relevant stakeholders the capabilities of NB-IoT.
The successful pilot confirmed that NB-IoT is well-suited to smart parking applications, particularly in outdoor locations, and Etisalat Digital believes it is likely to become the pre-dominant connectivity technology in this sector. Etisalat Digital found the battery life of a NB-IoT connected sensor is longer than for other kinds of connected sensor.
The pilot also highlighted the importance of building an end-to-end ecosystem for smart parking. In the initial phase, the first set of electro-magnetic sensors posed a few challenges in terms of accuracy, however, with further development, the sensors were successfully integrated into the smart parking ecosystem.
Next steps
Etisalat Digital, which has started the NB-IoT rollout in selected areas, is currently finalising its partner ecosystem to enable end-to-end delivery of parking solutions for extensive customer pilots using commercial NB-IoT modules in 2017.
Etisalat Digital is also pursuing other NB-IoT-enabled smart city applications, such as smart lighting and waste management, as well as implementing several other IoT industrial solutions leveraging its application development platform, data centres and managed services capabilities.