What Is NB-IoT?
NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) is a specialised, low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technology designed to connect large volumes of simple devices across vast and hard-to-reach environments.
With exceptional indoor and underground coverage, long battery life, and low deployment costs, NB-IoT is ideal for businesses looking to scale IoT operations reliably, affordably, and at massive scale.
Key Benefits
Anywhere connectivity
Strong coverage over large areas, even underground or deep within urban infrastructure over a massive scale and a low bandwidth.
Long battery life
Great power efficiency and devices can run on batteries for 10 years or more without a recharge.
Cost effective
Significantly reduced device complexity, functionality, and capability, thus lowering costs
Who It’s For
NB-IoT is ideal for medium to large enterprises across sectors:
Smart Cities & Municipalities, Smart Properties
Smart metering, utilities, water, energy, infrastructure management
Agriculture
Farmers, agri-tech, environmental sensors (air quality, soil moisture, weather)
Healthcare
Remote monitoring, elderly care facilities, medical research
Retail, Logistics, Construction
Asset Tracking, supply chain monitoring, inventory management.
Key Features
Extended Battery Life
Devices can operate for 10+ years on a single battery, ideal for low-maintenance deployments.
Deep Indoor Penetration
NB-IoT signals effectively reach underground or behind dense walls—perfect for utility meters, parking sensors, or building automation.
Massive Device Connectivity
Supports large-scale deployments with tens of thousands of devices per cell, crucial for smart city and industrial use cases.
Low Bandwidth, High Efficiency
Optimised for small, intermittent data transmissions, minimizing network strain while ensuring reliability.
Low Device and Operational Cost
Simplified chipset design reduces hardware costs, and efficient connectivity lowers total cost of ownership.
Connect the Unreachable, Scale the Extraordinary
With Vodacom Business NB-IoT, you’re not just linking devices—you’re creating smarter systems that adapt, alert, and evolve.
Let’s make your infrastructure intelligent, your cities smarter, your farms more efficient, and your business future-proof.
Not Sure How NB-IoT Powers Your Device? Let Vodacom Connect the Dots.
NB-IoT technology offers powerful features like extended battery life, deep indoor coverage, and efficient wake-up cycles using advanced sleep modes (PSM/e-DRX).
But success depends on the right configuration, module alignment, and roaming partner support. If you're uncertain about how NB-IoT applies to your use case or need help linking your application to the right device, module, or use case strategy Vodacom is here to guide you.
Let’s simplify the complexity. Reach out to our IoT experts today.
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