Welcome to our December 2019 update on what’s happening with IoT in New Zealand and around the world.
New Zealand’s first commercial 5G service now available – sort of
New Zealand will enter the new decade with 5G in tow.
Spark has been the first to arrive at the 5G party by launching New Zealand’s first commercial 5G service, albeit in small South Island locations. Spark’s 5G wireless broadband services went live last week in selected areas of Westport, Clyde, Twizel, Tekapo and Hokitika, joining Alexandra, Spark’s first launch site.
Meanwhile, Vodafone is tracking well towards its launch of commercial 5G on over 100 sites in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown later this month. They are currently offering visitors to Wellington Airport an opportunity to trial 5G technology.
In order to deliver it’s 5G service, Spark gained access to 2600 MHz spectrum owned by the UK based Dense Air. Spark hopes to deliver its main services via the C band (3500 MHz) but spectrum allocation remains an issue with an unsolved Treaty of Waitangi claim holding up the Government’s 5G auction.
The IoT Alliance’s Technical Spectrum Working Group produced the Spectrum Available in New Zealand for IoT Systems report earlier this year which gives a good overview of radio spectrum available for IoT use in New Zealand.
While 5G will be a game-changer for IoT, it is not without opposition with some members of the public concerned about health risks. To help combat any misconceptions the Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor has put together some accessible information about 5G which they published this week.
Member survey
Thank you to everyone who completed our member survey – we really appreciate your feedback. We will be reviewing the survey results and will use them to guide our 2020 work program and processes.
Happy holidays
We wish you a safe and happy holiday and look forward to connecting again on all things IoT in 2020.
Ngā mihi nui,
The team at the NZ IoT Alliance
Events and News
MBIE has named the six New Zealand research projects, including two from the University of Auckland, that they are investing $3 million in for the development of innovative space technologies. The funding ensures New Zealand stays at the forefront of several areas of space technology. Included in the projects are propulsion systems, debris avoidance, remote environment monitoring, mission control, biochemistry, and superconductivity.
If you needed another reason to get your kids into gardening, here are 7 surprising ways a veggie patch could turn Kiwi kids into tech gurus.
Berg Insight estimates that the global installed base of active remote tank monitoring (RTM) solutions are growing at an annual compound growth rate of 36.3 percent, meaning that the active installed base is estimated to reach 11.9 million units worldwide in 2023.
A new AI Forum report predicts up to $6.4 billion of economic benefits for New Zealand by 2035 from AI-driven labour efficiencies.
Attend workshops on the digital technologies sector Industry Transformation Plan in Tauranga on 9 December or Hamilton on 10 December.
A Waikato mother has developed The Raglan App which uses iBeacons and proximity support to deliver fun activities and experiences from the perspective of a parent to engage and encourage people to explore Raglan.
Singapore seems to be a city in 2119, not 2019 due to their technological advancements. Here are 7 things that make Singapore a smart city.
The Government has increased the waste levy which will mean a greater cost of sending waste to landfill for consumers and industry. The announcement will encourage innovation and opportunities for leaders in waste management, recycling and sustainable alternatives.
A new industry brings new opportunities for IoT deployments. Attend MedCan 2020, New Zealand’s first Medicinal Cannabis summit. Super early bird pricing ends 16 December.
Do you have an innovative solution to an environmental problem? Entries close on 8 December for Callaghan Innovation’s C-Prize.
