The Internet of Small Things is a technology that connects small objects—which measure and process small amounts of simple information such as temperature, humidity, weight, and location—via wireless networks, expanding the scope of application of the Internet of Things (IoT). It was conceived based on the observation that the latest LTE-level wireless communication technology is not suitable for small devices in the IoT market to send data at fixed times.

The LoRa Alliance is a multinational alliance organized for the development of Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN), an IoT-specific communication technology that connects small objects, and products utilizing this technology.

'Low-power long-distance communication technology' has the advantage of a wide communication range of tens of km and low power consumption, allowing the terminal battery life to be maintained for several years.

About 50 major European mobile operators, including KPN, the number one mobile operator in the Netherlands, and Swisscom, the number one mobile operator in Switzerland, as well as major hardware and software companies such as IBM, Cisco, and Semtech, are active members of the LoRa Alliance.

SK Telecom plans to actively participate in technology development work by becoming the first Asian mobile operator to join the LoRa Alliance. In addition, we plan to establish a cooperative framework among global telecommunications operators that have adopted the technology in the future and pursue the joint development of services and products.

To this end, SK Telecom plans to launch a pilot project for the Internet of Things in earnest within the year by applying the LoRa Alliance's 'low-power long-range communication technology' to the development of smart home-linked meters, bicycle control and location tracking solutions, commercial area analysis through big data, and smart street light control.