SK Telecom Signs Agreement to Interconnect Dedicated IoT Network with Honeywell Sensors
Honeywell LoRa Sensor Interfacing for Temperature/Hyper/Occupancy/Plumbing/Fire Detectors

As global companies adopt dedicated IoT networks (LoRa) to improve efficiency and reduce costs, the number of IoT connected devices is expected to expand dramatically.

SK Telecom announced that it is developing a product integrated with a hybrid IoT network in collaboration with Honeywell Korea, a leader in the automatic control sector, including its cutting-edge sensor business division.

On the 17th, the two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the interoperability of Honeywell sensors with the IoT dedicated network (LoRa) and plan to launch various sensors supplied to office and residential buildings using LoRa in the first half of 2017. In the future, they plan to apply LTE-M to sensors and control devices supplied to manufacturing industries, such as factories.

This is because the advantages of hybrid IoT can be leveraged by utilizing a LoRa network, which is characterized by low speed and low capacity, where periodic monitoring is required, and an LTE-M communication network where real-time control is required.

Through this agreement, Honeywell plans to apply wireless IoT sensors to HVAC-related temperature and humidity sensors, occupancy sensors, pipe sensors, and fire detectors scheduled for installation in new buildings, and to replace wired sensors in existing buildings with wireless ones.

Fire detectors are sensors that detect temperature or smoke, and by enabling immediate notification to family members or the fire department in the event of a fire, it is expected that losses will be significantly reduced through early fire suppression. In particular, with the amendment to the Act on Installation, Maintenance and Safety Management of Firefighting Facilities taking effect in February 2017, fire detectors must be installed in all homes. As the penetration rate for existing general homes remains in the 20% range, significant new demand is expected in the future.

Plan to apply LTE-M to sensors and control devices supplied to manufacturing industries, such as factories, in the future

If the sensor is equipped with a LoRa module and installed wirelessly, installation is easy, and it is expected that existing construction and labor costs will be significantly reduced. Additionally, there is the advantage of preventing damage to the building caused by wired construction when replacing sensors installed in existing buildings.

Honeywell expects that by introducing IoT technology to provide differentiated products, it will be able to strengthen its sustainable market dominance and enter the IoT-based smart home market.

Both companies also plan to expand new businesses in cooperation with construction companies and building management companies by utilizing various non-identifiable big data collected through sensors, and plan to pursue collaboration with Honeywell Asia and global headquarters based on success stories in Korea.

Kwon Song, Head of the IoT Solution Division at SK Telecom, said, “The meeting of SK Telecom’s IoT technology with a leading global company in the automatic control field has created an opportunity to dramatically expand the scope of IoT,” adding, “We will expand cooperation with Honeywell’s global headquarters in the future to strengthen the global competitiveness of new IoT industries based on hybrid IoT networks.”