THE INGENU BLOG

January 30, 2017

Ingenu and Arrow Electronics to Deliver Comprehensive RPMA Solutions to the Global IoT Market

Collaboration will bring leading IoT design and production capabilities into the world’s largest network dedicated to machines

SAN DIEGO –  January 30, 2017 – Ingenu Inc.™, the pioneer in delivering connectivity exclusively to machines, today announced a strategic global agreement with Arrow Electronics to provide Ingenu’s wireless machine-to-machine connectivity and certified modules to Arrow’s global customer base.

“Adding Ingenu’s RPMA technology to Arrow’s growing suite of IoT services will provide our customers with additional options to bring smart, connected solutions to market,” said Aiden Mitchell, vice president of global IoT sales at Arrow.  “Arrow’s vast expertise in taking innovation from inception to production will enhance the development of RPMA-enabled devices for operation on a global scale.”

Ingenu’s RPMA® (Random Phase Multiple Access) network operates on the globally available 2.4 GHz ISM band. One radio module can serve applications throughout the world, providing the scale and cost benefits to enable partners with a profitable connectivity option. The patented RPMA technology is also purpose-built exclusively for machines, offering unparalleled range, coverage and capacity with extremely low power requirements and longer-lasting battery life.

“Arrow’s innovation and expertise with IoT solution development will spur further expansion of our ecosystem of devices for RPMA,” said Joshua Builta, vice president of product management, Ingenu. “We can now offer customers the ability to start with an idea and develop it to fruition, simply by using the services provided by Arrow. Our extensive network of RPMA developers is excited about the opportunities this agreement brings to the market.”

About Ingenu Inc.
Ingenu™ is building the Machine Network™, the world’s largest IoT network dedicated to LPWA (low-power, wide-area) connectivity for machines. Operating on universal spectrum, the company’s RPMA® technology is a proven standard for connecting Internet of Things (IoT) devices around the world, with 38 private networks deployed. The Machine Network will have further reach, global range and longer lasting battery life than any existing network. Ingenu is led by a highly experienced team, including veterans from Verizon, T-Mobile, and Qualcomm. Information about Ingenu can be found at staging.ingenu.com, or follow us on Twitter @ingenunetworks.

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January 27, 2017

DistribuTECH 2017

As a company that has a fairly hefty list of events that we attend/participate in every year, DistribuTECH is one that seems to have a recurring spot on our list. This event, as described on their website, is,

“the leading annual electric power transmission and distribution conference and exhibition event that addresses technologies used to move electricity from the power plant through the transmission and distribution systems to the meter and inside the home. Bringing together 11,300+ individuals from 78 countries, DistribuTECH offers industry professionals from electric utilities, water utilities and other municipal utilities more information and networking opportunities than any other annual T&D event.”

So what role do we play in this utility-based conference? Many of the companies attending this event are in one way or another trying to become smarter and more efficient, and we help them do that by assembling an IoT solution for them to use. The things that we have done with companies such as LED Roadway Lighting, Libelium, Energate, and EnTek prove that our mission is to find the right solution for your application.

At this year’s DistribuTECH conference, we will be conveying a “smart city” message, and have many exciting RPMA-enabled smart city devices that will be on display. We are always looking for ways to expand our ecosystem and believe that we can create a solution for any need. Come visit us at DistribuTECH and see what Ingenu can do for you.

DistribuTECH details

When: January 31-February 2

Where: San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA

Booth #1540

January 26, 2017

Get the Data You Pay For

Is this enough data for IoT?

How much data do you truly need for IoT? Historically, cellular carriers would always be very cautious using large data plans to ensure customers do not pay overages while using their applications. Ingenu is changing the game. Big data is becoming smart data. Applications using 10’s of MBs over cellular are being cut down to size through techniques like compression, data logging, and event-based reporting. Utilizing the ultra-efficient RPMA networks allows GPS applications to function on plans in the mere KB’s per month.  As an additional example, an electrical power line may be monitored to watch voltage crossing a wire, but does it really need to establish a full cellular data session to inform them daily that all is well? This can affect battery life and allow unnecessary amounts of data to traverse the network. While some devices lay dormant and can be “shoulder tapped” to establish a session and improve battery life, it is truly selling the application short for what it can actually do.

Round it up!

Rounding is a term that is used with cellular data sessions and can make a very simple, active IoT application use 10x the data it actually needs to use. Ted Myers, CTO of Ingenu, states “1MB on an RPMA network may provide much more value than 1MB on the cellular network due to the cellular industry performing 1KB rounding on billing. As an example, if your average message transaction is 32 bytes, you will be billed for 1KB of data each time. RPMA billing does not work that way.”

Although there is definitely a need for large data amounts for very involved applications, 90% of all IoT applications use less than 3MB. This is right in the sweet spot of RPMA technology. RPMA can also allow a device to report back while using minimal amounts of battery to show the user that all is well. This allows an extension to the life of the application for 10, 15, even 20 years past their previous deployments.

Everyone in IoT is ultra-focused on robust applications using the least amount of power and utilizing all of the billed data for their customers. So, when building the next generation device for your deployment, please ensure you are looking at all avenues to maximize your IoT application and get the data you pay for.

January 22, 2017

2G – Stranded at the Bus Stop

It seems that every couple of years, we typically upgrade our mobile phones for newer models so we can get the most out of our devices.  This is what drives the cellular industry to continually upgrade its network to accommodate faster data speeds, greater capacity and enhanced reliability.

But what about the devices on the network that use minimal bandwidth and don’t need to be constantly upgraded?  Many of these types of devices have utilized the 2G cellular network and are being abandoned as the spectrum has been re-farmed for higher bandwidth networks.  Carriers have planned this upgrade for more than five years, but many users have not been able to invest in upgrades due to the lack of funding and resources.

Case in point, the San Francisco Metropolitan Transit Agency’s (SFMTA) NextBus system went offline at the beginning of January 2017 as a result of the shutdown of AT&T’s 2G network.  The SFMTA claimed it was not notified in advance of the impending shutdown, but AT&T cites a notification to the agency as early as 2008.   Regardless of who is to blame, the citizens of San Francisco are now faced with interruption of a valuable service which provides real-time transit schedules for the city’s bus system.  In a metropolis that is the second greatest user of public transportation, the outage has massive ramifications to say the least.

So, how do cities, businesses and consumers insure that their devices will not be affected by a network shutdown in the future?  There are a few important questions to ask.  First, does the provider of the network guarantee the length of time the network will remain operational?  Second, do the devices on the network consume minimal power so they will last at least as long as the network? And, finally, does the network have the capacity to grow as needs change?  For many networks, the answer to these questions is no.

However, Ingenu offers an alternative to cellular with its RPMA (Random Phase Multiple Access) technology.  It is a low-power, long-range connectivity solution that has been built specifically for machines.  It offers network guarantees and won’t leave you stranded years down the road.  So, before the cellular bus leaves you stranded, check out Ingenu’s RPMA for a welcome alternative.

January 17, 2017

The Future is Bright

The start of 2017 brings change for many things; new year, new president, and a lot of new technology. With CES recently ending, it is no surprise that there is a lot of buzz around announcements of which latest and greatest technology is coming out and how it will make life that much easier and smarter. It is an exciting time for the technology industry, bringing high hopes for the new year.

From self-driving cars to any kind of smartwatch imaginable, technology has come a long way in the last couple of years and is projected to take off even more in the years to come. There is estimated to be about 30 billion “connected” devices by 2020, making the future of the IoT anything but dull.

So what does this mean for Ingenu? It means that the amount and range of devices that can be connected to our network is endless. From shoe soles to oil fields to dog collars, the only thing that any of these items has in common is the network that they are connected to. If you think about it, none of these 30 billion connected devices will have many similarities other than the need to be “connected”, and that is what is so important about what we do at Ingenu. Not only do we not specify in connecting certain devices, but we have the technology that enables us to work with just about any application and give it its own unique place in the IoT.

Ingenu works hard to provide an effortless, reliable connection for any application and makes sure that the big things like security and battery life become little things that you don’t need to worry about. There are endless arguments as to why Ingenu is the network to join, but when it all comes down to it, our technology and network speaks for itself. When we hear 30 billion devices connected to the IoT in three years we celebrate because we have been preparing for this since the beginning.

January 13, 2017

The Everyday IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is indeed changing the way cities deliver services to citizens through targeted data collected from intelligent devices on a municipal communications network.  As an example, a given IoT device can collect data from a parking meter, indicating whether a space is open, and then provide that information to a driver to eliminate the need for circling around the block looking for an open parking spot.  That is the IoT in action.

However, sometimes we don’t think about how the IoT works behind the scenes.  In a recent conversation with one of the cities that is implementing solutions on Ingenu’s Machine Network™, they noted that the IoT is helping to drive innovations in terms of high-tech initiatives, but it is also taking the mundane and making it smart.  Recently, the City of Las Vegas deployed its Innovation District to serve as a test bed for new IoT innovations that will be deployed across the city’s metropolitan area.  The city will be able to track things like air quality and pedestrian traffic, and will provide important data on the over 40 million visitors that the city attracts each year.

But, what if those same visitors came to Las Vegas and had an unfavorable experience because they found the city’s trash cans were overflowing or the streetlights were not turning on?  These seemingly insignificant events could change the way a city is perceived by its residents and equally as important, its visitors.  However, through the attributes of the Internet of Things, the smart trashcan could communicate to the city sanitation department that its location on The Strip needs attention, or that the streetlight in the alley behind the Golden Nugget is not functioning properly – thus enhancing the public’s experience, safety and comfort.

Cities like Las Vegas have the vision to utilize the IoT to its fullest extent, so be sure to look for it – it may be under the nearest garbage can.

January 4, 2017

Ingenu’s RPMA to Power Las Vegas Innovation District for Smart City Applications

Company’s Machine Network drives reliable connectivity to enable data-driven IoT applications

CES 2017, Las Vegas – January 4, 2017 – Ingenu Inc.™, the company that delivers purpose-built IoT connectivity, today announced its RPMA® (Random Phase Multiple Access) network will provide IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity for the City of Las Vegas, to enable various smart city applications. The Las Vegas Innovation District will provide valuable data collected from a host of applications including parking, air quality, pedestrian traffic and environmental monitoring, among others.

The Innovation District, which spans the area adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip, will serve as a test bed for new IoT innovations that will be deployed across the city’s vast metropolitan area. As a region which serves over 40 million visitors per year, the City of Las Vegas will utilize the data collected from devices on Ingenu’s Machine Network™ to drive operational efficiencies, expand city services and enhance city resources. The city will initially launch an environmental monitoring application, and will continue with deployments of other smart city applications.

“The City of Las Vegas has unique features in terms of sustainability, population density and technology adoption, which makes it an ideal location for deployment of next-generation IoT applications,” said Michael Lee Sherwood, director of information technologies, City of Las Vegas. “The applications deployed through the Innovation District program will serve as an example for other cities as they implement their own smart city initiatives.”

Las Vegas has been a pioneer in smart city adoption as it was a participant in the U.S.  Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge, and recently announced it would be the first city in the U.S. to activate a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) system on its public roads.

“Las Vegas is leading other metropolitan areas in terms of smart technology, and we are pleased to offer the Machine Network to power these important innovations,” said Tom Gregor, president and general manager, Machine Network at Ingenu. “Ingenu and its ecosystem of IoT application partners ensure reliable connectivity and longevity with RPMA which will benefit the city for decades into the future.”

Ingenu’s nationwide Machine Network build-out is now underway across the United States, and is targeted to serve over 100 major metropolitan areas by the end of 2017. The Machine Network currently provides more than 100,000 square miles of wireless coverage for a host of IoT applications. For specific information on the Las Vegas Innovation District and the Machine Network, visit staging.ingenu.com.

 

About RPMA

Utilizing globally available spectrum, Ingenu’s RPMA® (Random Phase Multiple Access) technology is purpose-built for M2M/IoT connectivity, offering unparalleled range, coverage and capacity with extremely low power requirements and longer-lasting battery life. It uniquely enables devices to connect more efficiently and cost-effectively in both the uplink and downlink. Requiring fewer towers to provide coverage to large areas (1:10 to 1:30 radio towers needed for RPMA vs. cellular), RPMA is rapidly becoming a global standard for IoT communication. For more information on RPMA technology, visit  staging.ingenu.com/technology/rpma/

About Ingenu Inc.

Ingenu™ is building the Machine Network™, the world’s largest IoT network dedicated to LPWA (low-power, wide-area) connectivity for machines. Operating on universal spectrum, the company’s RPMA® technology is a proven standard for connecting Internet of Things (IoT) devices around the world, with 38 private networks deployed. The Machine Network will have further reach, global range and longer lasting battery life than any existing network. Ingenu is led by a highly experienced team, including veterans from Verizon, T-Mobile, and Qualcomm. Information about Ingenu can be found at staging.ingenu.com, or follow us on Twitter @ingenunetworks.

December 22, 2016

Never Stop Learning

Back in September when I had recently graduated college and was looking for my first full-time job, I gave myself one requirement: I must be with a company that would continue to challenge and teach me. From my first interaction with Ingenu to today, I can wholeheartedly say that I have learned something new every day about this company and this industry.

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