Semtech Corp. has formed a collaboration with ICTnexus to bring long range wide area network (LoRaWAN) connectivity to the Cook Islands.
As part of the project, an internet of things (IoT) platform will include Semtech’s LoRa devices as well as a LoRaWAN network for the island’s infrastructure. This will enable municipalities in the Cook Islands to implement several smart island use cases such as energy metering, water management, air quality and weather stations, street light operation, asset tracking and emergency notifications (tsunami sirens).
LoRaWAN connectivity will be brought across 15 islands beginning with Rarotonga at the launch of the service. ICTnexus said LoRa devices and LoRaWAN standards help to ease the deployment and scalability of the project to bring the smart island concept to fruition.
The deployment is the first energy management system leveraging LoRaWAN in the Pacific Islands with the long-distance capability of the technology needed to connect all IoT-enabled devices for applications on the island’s power grid, utility meters, gas meters, turbidity sensors for the water treatment plant, water flow and treatment sensors, water tank level sensors, waste water monitors and smart water meters.
Additionally, the Cook Island Climate Change Program will be one of the main applications for LoRaWAN for energy monitoring and management. These applications will feature a management platform for operators to view data in real time to maintain island operations.
