Dublin to become smarter city as new narrowband IOT network launches

People living and working in the Dublin docklands may soon be able to avail of a number of new smart technologies, such as parking bays that tell drivers when free spots become available and rubbish bins that alert authorities when they are full.

The move comes as Vodafone has teamed up with Dublin City Council to roll out the telco's narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network in the docklands area as part of the "smart district" initiative, developed by the four local authorities in the capital.

NB-IoT is a standards-based, low-power, wide-area technology developed to enable a wide range of IoT devices and services.

Deployed

One of the first technologies to be deployed on the testbed is a new flood-monitoring and response solution from Meath-based VogueTek that uses low-cost connected sensors to communicate potential gully blockages to the council before they become a flood risk.

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The council and Vodafone have also announced a new €50,000 innovation fund to support local start-ups looking to test technologies on the network. The fund will be managed by Smart Dublin and DCU Alpha.

"The Smart Docklands District, with its density of new builds, global tech companies, smart assets and range of connectivity options, provides a unique platform for SMEs and entrepreneurs to develop new and innovative solutions that will transform the way our cities operate," said Jamie Cudden, smart city programme manager, Dublin City Council.