Ericsson, Sony Mobile, SK Telecom Testing IoT On Wireless

Ericsson, Sony Mobile and SK Telecom are testing new device and network innovations which should support secure and ubiquitous LTE network connectivity for lower cost, lower power internet of things devices.

According to a press release on the Ericsson website, the three conducted lab tests of “key functionalities of LTE device Category 0 and Category M (Machine Type Communication)” in Ericsson radio labs in Krista, Sweden, with additional testing planned “later this year”. No further details on when the tests will take place have been given.

Wearable devices and related applications were selected for the user scenarios being tested and trialled.

The wearable device test use cases are focused on consumer lifestyle and wellness applications enabled through multiple sensors providing accelerometer, identification, pulse meter and GPS functionality. In testing, LTE has proven to support the ubiquitous and secure uplink and downlink connections that wearable lifestyle and wellness applications require.

Park Jin-hyo, Senior Vice President and Head of Network R&D Center, SK Telecom, says: “We are working with Ericsson and Sony Mobile to trial both mobile network technologies and new IoT devices that improve our customer’s lives, at home and work. These latest tests and trials reflect our commitment to establish a stronger IoT ecosystem globally.”

Izumi Kawanishi, EVP, Product Business Group, Sony Mobile, says: “Sony Mobile regards the push into the realm of IoT and our strategies for diving into this market are critically important. There can be little doubt that the market for network-connected devices – of every shape, size and type – will explode at breakneck pace going forwards. We believe that the trials with Ericsson and SK Telecom are important steps towards the IoT world, realizing solutions that will strengthen user experiences.”