Huawei, Toshiba to work on NB-IoT for ‘smart factory’

Huawei has signed a MoU with Toshiba to collaborate on the integration of NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) for the development of “smart factory” solutions.

The cooperation between Huawei and Toshiba will accelerate the commercial availability of NB-IoT in a diverse range of vertical industries, supporting a range of applications and deployment scenarios as operators are looking ahead towards new business opportunities in vertical industries.

Both companies will work together to develop enhanced wireless product life cycle management solutions based on NB-IoT technology applied to real-world manufacturing scenarios.

As a first step, Huawei will work closely with Toshiba by providing the communications technology expertise and help facilitate the integration of NB-IoT technology within Toshiba’s current IoT gateway, with initial testing scheduled to be performed in Huawei’s NB-IoT Open Lab located in Shanghai.

The next phase will see actual live field tests being performed with expectations from both companies to develop a suite of smart factory solutions based on NB-IoT technology ready for global commercialization.

With the number of connections in smart factories possibly reaching 100 million by 2020, the integration of NB-IoT within the smart factory will greatly enhance the data collection ability over wider areas in factories worldwide using cellular network connectivity, further improving management efficiency of the manufacturing process, and the ability to enhance product lifecycle management.