Ericsson and Verizon have embarked on joint activities to advance the development and deployment of cellular low-power wide-area (LPWA) networking for a diverse range of IoT applications.
Ericsson and Verizon have been engaged in IoT trials since 2014 to demonstrate the range of IoT use cases - both consumer and industrial applications - that today's mobile networks can support.
Adam Koeppe, Vice President, Network Technology and Planning, Verizon, said: "Verizon's nationwide LTE network provides a platform for the acceleration of IoT applications that benefit consumers, industry and cities.
"We're committed to simplifying IoT and have introduced a developer platform - ThingSpace - and new network advancements that do just that.
"Ericsson's new software will enable us to expand our coverage of low-cost IoT devices while supporting years of battery life."
Ericsson's LPWA solution will scale Verizon's LTE network to connect a wider variety of IoT use cases by supporting the connectivity requirements of lower power, lower cost and reduced complexity.
Arun Bansal, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Unit Radio, Ericsson, added: "IoT applications will drive 5G development so it is essential for us to work with operators like Verizon to proactively spearhead the industry and ecosystem."
Ericsson's recently launched new software, called Networks Software 17A, addresses the anticipated massive number IoT devices and the diversity of their connectivity requirements.
The software includes key features enabling cellular networks to support Smart Cities, Smart Metering, and Smart Agriculture.