NB-Fi has been approved as a National Standard
The Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology (Rosstandart) has approved NB-Fi, the first national IoT standard developed by the RVC-based “Cyber-Physical Systems”, Technical Committee at the initiative of the IoT Association.
Following the recommendation of the RVC-based Technical Committee 194 “Cyber-Physical Systems”, the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology approved a preliminary national standard “Narrow-Band Radio Modulation Based Wireless Data Transmission Protocol (NB-Fi)”. The document will become effective in April 2019.
NB-Fi (Narrow Band Fidelity) is the first approved standard for the Internet of Things (IoT). It is based on a fully Russian technology that enables wireless data transmission between multiple modems and multiple base stations and has already proved applicable in large-scale projects.
“The approval of the first standard is a landmark for the IoT segment in Russia. Based on the Committee, we have managed to consolidate the interests of the industry’s representatives and create a window of opportunities for the boost market development. The next important step should be the NB-Fi promotion at the international level”, Alexander Povalko, RVC CEO.
The standard is one of the LPWAN protocols designed for the transmission of small-volume data at long distances, and featuring simplicity and cheapness. NB-Fi technology ensures a stable device data transmission range up to 10 km in dense urban conditions and up to 30 km in rural areas.
NB-Fi devices may be manufactured using widespread electronic components that could be easily manufactured or purchased in every particular country. WAVIoThas already developed an NB-Fi transceiver that encapsulates the NB-Fi protocol at a physical layer.
An NB-Fi transceiver may be used in various countries, operating in license-free 430–500 MHz and 860–925 MHz frequency bands at 50 to 25,600 bps data rates. The transceiver allows for exceptional reception sensitivity and ultra-low power consumption without sophisticated antenna solutions.
NB-Fi standard will allow harmonizing data exchange principles in the IoT market and creating the NB-Fi ecosystem for device manufacturers.
“The Technical Committee ‘Cyber-Physical Systems’ has made a joint local breakthrough with the market players by offering one of the prospective IoT standards. It is also important that a very relevant Preliminary National Standard format was chosen for it, allowing wider testing and follow-up control before it has gained the status of a finally approved perpetual National Standard”, Anton Shalaev, Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology, noted.
The Technical “Cyber-Physical Systems” Committee will systematically monitor and assess the application of the approved preliminary standard next three years. It will acquire the necessary practical market application experience before it has gained the status of a final National State Standard.
First of all, the Committee will monitor NB-Fi projects pursued by the companies that initiated the NB-Fi standard development. The standard has already been used proactively in practice by market players, such as WAVIoT, which is known for its development of electricity and water meters with an automated wireless meter reading function for large-scale implementations of solutions related to the automation of data collection from utility meters.
“During the development of the national NB-Fi standard, we have taken into account a wide range of expert's opinions and technological community. The draft document has undergone public discussion for three months and got feedback from key market players. At that, NB-Fi is not the only perspective IoT communications standard. The market has a room for at least several standards that can get serious support for their development by formalizing as national standards. Further promotion success of each will depend on a number of factors: adaptability and regard to specific features of particular markets, equipment requirements, types of terminal devices, their deployment and operation costs, the efficiency of communication network coverage, and the cost of base stations”, Nikita Utkin, Technical Committee “Cyber-Physical Systems” Chairman.
As estimated by IDC, the size of the Russian IoT market was USD 3.67 billion in 2018. Manufacturing and transportation take the lead in terms of investments in IoT. Experts forecast that the IoT market will grow by an average of 18% p.a. till 2022.
The Technical Committee “Cyber-Physical Systems” and the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology are gathering information on the standard’s practical application. Such information, as well as remarks and suggestions in respect of the content of the standard, shall be filed not later than 4 months before the expiration of its term to “Cyber-Physical Systems” Technical Committee at 1 Nobel Str., Skolkovo Innovation Center, Moscow, 121205, Russia.