Suffolk County Council is launching a new initiative on Friday 19th February, deploying ‘gateways’ to build a network that covers all of Suffolk.
This will enable individuals or organisations to measure things like temperature, sound and movement via sensors linked to the Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN).
The network is being built in partnership with Norfolk County Council and funded by the New Anglia LEP. Once finished, the network will be made up of almost 100 ‘gateways’ or data receivers and transmitters fitted to public sector buildings across the county. This will make Suffolk's rollout part of the largest free to use LoRaWAN deployment in the UK. Norfolk County Council launched its part of the network last September.
Businesses and individuals can buy their own sensors, adapt them to measure different things like visitor numbers, weather data and temperature, and tap into the gateways for free.
Councillor Matthew Hicks, Leader of Suffolk County Council said:
"In today's increasingly technological and digital world, it is entirely right that as an authority we do all we can to support local businesses to access and use real time data to help them succeed. This project has the potential to strengthen businesses, grow our local economy and help support the jobs and innovations of the future.
"I really do hope that as many people as possible come along to the launch event so that they can see how this technology could benefit their business."
The launch event will be held virtually and will feature prominent LoRaWAN expert Mark Stanley explaining the technology and what it can be used for. Case studies will be presented from Streetlighting to children's education, with an opportunity for young people to develop their own big idea on what data these senses could be capturing.
