Heliot Europe: Sigfox 0G network is available for IoT in 72 countries

Heliot Europe, the main operator of the Sigfox 0G network, reports major progress in network rollout in DACH countries and Slovenia. The 0G network is now available in 72 countries. Soon 12 more countries will be equipped with Sigfox’s infrastructure.

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Sigfox: Energy-saving communication for the IoT

It’s hard to imagine everyday business without the Internet of Things (IoT). Freight companies provide their goods in transit with trackers that regularly transmit location data. Food retailers monitor the cold chain using networked temperature sensors. Industrial companies equip their machines with sensors that report a need for maintenance before damage occurs.

Network coverage as an important criterion

Trackers, sensors and other IoT devices are often battery-powered. To minimize the need to change batteries, energy-saving data communication is necessary. For this reason, various low-power wide area networks (LPWANs) have emerged in recent years, including the 0G network from French technology company Sigfox. One of the most important criteria for choosing the appropriate LPWAN is network coverage.

Now Heliot Europe, the largest operator of the Sigfox 0G network, is reporting massive progress in network expansion. As of last July, for example, Sigfox’s network covers more than 90 percent of Switzerland’s total settlement area.

90 percent of the German population covered by Sigfox 0G

In Germany, Sigfox’s infrastructure has already reached nine out of 10 residents since last fall, according to Heliot Europe. Currently, the company is densifying its network coverage in urban areas. The network expansion is primarily intended to benefit major customers in the logistics and retail sectors.

Heliot Europe is also working intensively on expanding the Sigfox 0G network in Austria. Currently, a large part of the most important urban and rural areas of the Alpine republic are already connected to the IoT and the infrastructure is being extended to other regions practically on a weekly basis. One of the most important users that Heliot Europe has been able to acquire in Austria is the Austrian Post. It uses the Sigfox 0G network to track its 40.000 rolling containers for letter and parcel transport.

Fast and demand-driven expansion of Sigfox infrastructure

Network expansion in Slovenia is also progressing well. Heliot Europe has only been operating there since the end of 2020. Nevertheless, according to the network operator’s own information, half of its expansion targets for 2021 and 2022 were already achieved in June of this year. The Slovenians are participating in the European Union’s Intelligent Cities Challenge with 20 cities. As a result, Heliot Europe is focusing its infrastructure expansion in Slovenia mainly on IoT applications in the smart cities sector. In order to drive network expansion in the former constituent republic of Yugoslavia even faster in the future, Heliot Europe is considering cooperation with external partners.

Thomas Scheibel, the managing director of Heliot Europe, explains, “Following our strategy ‘We got you covered’, we offer a fast and demand-oriented network expansion.” To enable Heliot Europe to manage the expansion efficiently, planning is carried out centrally in a cross-border subsidiary. This is also responsible for coordination, maintenance and operation of the Sigfox 0G network.

Heliot Europe: Largest network operator for IoT in Europe

Currently, Heliot Europe covers an area of 444.000 square kilometers in the DACH region and Slovenia with 3700 radio stations, enabling 100 million people to access the IoT. The company thus operates the largest IoT network in the whole of Europe.

Thanks to roaming, users of the infrastructure operated by Heliot Europe have access to 18 million devices in 72 countries worldwide. 12 more countries will follow. That’s because start-up iWire, which already operates the Sigfox 0G network in the United Arab Emirates, plans to expand the network in Asia and North Africa. India, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are among the new countries to receive a 0G network from Sigfox.