The GITEX technology fair which takes place from October 17 to 21, 2021 in Dubai, in which IOT Factory will participate (Hall 3 – A3), is an opportunity to take stock of the opportunities of the Internet of Things (IOT) in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries – Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain) and more broadly the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa).
The Internet of Objects has seen its growth take off quickly, following the appearance in particular of new networks dedicated to connected objects, allowing communications on networks with wide coverage, while consuming little energy and can therefore operate. on battery. The increase in volumes and the low cost of communication modules have also enabled the prices of sensors to be reduced. The main networks for the Internet of Things are LORAWAN, NB-IOT and SIGFOX.
The ability to operate small, low-cost communicating sensors over great distances is essential in regions such as GCC or MENA countries, regions characterized by large desert areas not covered by mobile networks. traditional, and where the electricity network is not systematically present.
5 Major Opportunities for IOT in GCC / MENA
- Smart Cities: the modern, and often futuristic, character of cities in the Middle East are all reasons to develop IOT projects: traffic optimization, security, waste bin management, parking space management. As well as all Smart Metering type projects.
- Smart Metering: The measurement of energy consumption is often encouraged by the high cost of energy. If this is not the case in GCC – MENA countries, energy optimization remains an objective, in the context of reducing the CO2 footprint. In addition, water management (consumption, detection of leaks, availability of stock in reservoirs) is obviously essential in desert regions.
- The logistics chain: The management of the logistics chain, the tracking of assets, are other important use cases in general, and more specifically in this region with strong port activity.
- The cold chain: food, drugs, vaccines: so many opportunities for the Internet of Things and the use of sensors.
- Smart Agriculture: whether it is crop management or livestock management, so many areas that are developing thanks to the IOT. An important area for food self-sufficiency in a region with a difficult climate …
IOT networks in GCC and MENA
There are three major networks dedicated to the Internet of Things: LORAWAN, SIGFOX, NB-IOT and CAT-M1 to a lesser extent. These networks are present in the Gulf countries:
IOT Networks in Saudi Arabia
- LORAWAN is present in Saudi Arabia, in the form of private networks, and also through a national operator. The frequencies are EU868.
- Sigfox is present in Saudi Arabia, via the operator Vaz Communication
- NB-IOT is offered by Mobily (band B20 and B3) and STC (Band 12)
IOT Networks in United Arab Emirates
- LORAWAN is present in the United Arab Emirates, in the form of private networks. The frequencies are EU868.
- Sigfox is present in the United Arab Emirates, via the operator iWire
- NB-IOT is offered by Etisalat and DU. LTE-M offered by Etisalat
IOT Networks in Oman
- LORAWAN is present in OMAN, in the form of private networks. The frequencies are EU868.
- Sigfox is present at OMAN, via the operator Momkin
- NB-IOT is not yet fully available at the time of this article
IOT networks in QATAR
- LORAWAN is present in QATAR, in the form of private networks. The frequencies are EU868.
- Sigfox is not present at QATAR.
- NB-IOT is available through the operator OOREDOO
IOT networks at KUWAIT
- LORAWAN is present at KUWAIT, in the form of private networks. The frequencies are EU868.
- Sigfox is present at KUWAIT, via the iWire operator
- NB-IOT is not yet fully available at the time of this article
Bahrain IOT Networks
- LORAWAN is present in Bahrain, in the form of private networks. The frequencies are EU868.
- Sigfox is present in Bahrain, via the operator iWire
- NB-IOT is not yet fully available at the time of this article
Smart Metering in GCC
We offer unique LORAWAN and NB-IOT sensors for energy metering (MBUS, MODBUS, pulse counter, 4-20mA, water, gas, electricity, 0-10V, analog inputs). These sensors are integrated into our Smart Metering solution (web / mobile, dashboards, reports, alerts, map).
Check out our Smart Solutions page and our IOT Sensors page.
Assets Tracking in GCC
We offer unique LORAWAN and NBIOT sensors for GPS tracking (indoor using iBeacons / Bluetooth / WIFI and outdoor geolocation), activity monitoring, shock detection. These sensors are integrated into our Asset solution.
Check out our Assets Tracking page and our IOT Sensors page.
