Spain’s Cellnex plans 80pc coverage for its IoT network in Ireland

Through its partnership with Everynet, Cellnex will bring a new nationwide low power wide area (LoRaWAN) network to all major cities by the end of December.

The initial investment in the network between Cellnext and Everynet is around €2m.

The rollout of the LoRaWAN network will enable Cellnex to work with both public bodies and private businesses across the country on their IoT requirements, which can include building and energy management, air and water quality monitoring, waste management, and parking validation.

The network will build on the successes of a pilot project launched in Edenderry, county Offaly last year, during which the town became the first in Ireland to use LoRaWAN technology to help deliver solutions to monitor disabled parking bays, bin level sensors, air quality monitoring and tracking energy use in public buildings, according to a statement from Cellnex.

Cellnex Ireland has over 70 customers here including all the mobile operators, the broadcast and emergency services, and a range of local wireless operators.

The company said that as it expands its service offering the customer profile “is evolving to include public bodies, utility providers, leading players in the hospitality, retail, transport, manufacturing and construction sectors, all of whom are looking for connectivity solutions to address coverage issues.”

Cellnex, which claims to be the largest independent telecoms infrastructure operator in Ireland, completed the purchase of Cignal in September 2019 in a €210m deal.

The company committed to delivering 600 new telecom sites by 2026 and 300 have been delivered to date.