Internet-of-Things (IoT) Coverage turns location data into evidence: a specific object at a specific location at a specific moment. It's the difference between “we think it's there” and “we can confirm it's there”. However, traditional tracking and sensor networks are expensive to scale and are often constrained by fixed infrastructure.
Global IoT Connectivity Provider online connected networkin collaboration with nodal – a decentralized Bluetooth wireless network – expanding crowdsourced, ultra-low-power IoT connectivity in South Africa. This will help scale up asset tracking and lightweight sensor deployments with minimal infrastructure investment.
Karel Wessels, Head of IoT Solutions at iONLINE, says: “With Nodal, we are enabling a fundamentally new approach to IoT connectivity in South Africa, which is low-cost, massively scalable and able to provide real-world asset visibility without the complexity and power consumption traditionally associated with tracking technologies.”
Micah Anthenar Benoliel, Nodal co-founder and CEO, says: “South Africa is one of the most mobile-first enterprise markets in the world, and iONLINE has the customer relationships, applications and operational depth to bring the Nodal network to scale there. Together we can give South African enterprises a more affordable and verifiable way to know where their assets are.”
The Nodal Trust Network is built with Nodal's own networking stack and mobile platform. It uses smartphones as “nodes” to create a decentralized physical infrastructure network designed to help validate real-world data. These nodes can use their respective cellular data, Wi-Fi, and in the future, direct-to-cell satellite to relay data to the IoT backend.
A connectivity model built on network effects
By combining crowdsourced Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal capture with secure verification, the Nodal Trust Network allows enterprises to move from updates and check-ins to more reliable, real-world proof of presence.
Unlike traditional gateway-dependent IoT networks that require dense fixed infrastructure, the nodal model grows through partnerships leveraging BLE crowdsourcing and the existing footprint of mobile devices to create a highly scalable connectivity layer for low-cost tracking and telemetry.
What changes is the scale. As participation grows, network density increases, improving coverage and positioning over time and creating a country-level connectivity layer built on the devices people already have.
“The real power of this partnership lies in the shared network effect,” Wessels says. “Any connected mobile device effectively becomes part of the IoT infrastructure, allowing us to build one of the densest and most accessible IoT coverage networks in the region.”
Read more about Sense Hub here
The collaboration is designed to support use cases where ultra-low power and cost-effective scale are essential, such as asset tracking and lightweight sensor telemetry. Ultimately, use cases become more affordable and more reliable. Thanks to the nodal trust network unlocking the low costs of asset tracking, asset classes that were previously uneconomical to track or verify are now things like parcels, equipment, pallets, spare parts, pharmaceutical shipments, consumer returns, and more.
iONLINE's FlexiTag devices will also run on this network. Any compatible third-party BLE-enabled tag can do the same.
A scalable alternative to traditional IoT deployments
Wessels says, “We believe crowdsourced BLE connectivity represents a major evolution in how sensors and assets will be connected on a national scale; particularly for low-power, low-cost, and large-scale scalable deployments.”
He noted that beyond end-user benefits, the collaboration opens up opportunities for partners and ecosystem participants to contribute to network development and participate in the value created through expanded coverage.
The Nodal Network grows through an opt-in model, which is intended to be straightforward and have low impact for consumers. It is designed to be secure and privacy-preserving: data is encrypted, and use can remain anonymous. It is designed to be lightweight, with minimal impact on battery life and data usage.
There are clear benefits to joining: each participating device helps increase network coverage and density, thereby improving asset visibility. The more people choose the option, the better the overall coverage becomes – helping to improve safety, security and recovery for networked assets, customers and communities.
“This creates exciting opportunities not only for enterprise customers but also for ecosystem partners who can actively contribute to network development and participate in the value created through expanded connectivity,” Wessels says.
“At iOnline, we are focused on building the right connectivity rails for real-world IoT challenges, and BLE crowdsourcing is a powerful complement to technologies like cellular IoT, satellite, LoRaWAN, Sigfox, and RFID,” he concluded.
follow online Linkedin And FacebookWhere we share insights, trends, use cases and industry news every week.
about online
iONLINE Connected Networks is a leading connectivity provider providing cutting-edge technology solutions to businesses around the world. In addition to connectivity solutions, iONLINE recently launched Sense Hub, a cloud-native platform for connected sensors and asset tracking that centralizes device management, real-time telemetry, secure location services, and analytics across multi-network deployments.
With offices in the US, UK, South Africa and Australia, iONLINE is dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and ensuring its customers stay connected in a constantly changing world. iONLINE is also committed to promoting positive change for both society and the environment, reflecting its dedication to corporate social responsibility. Learn more here www.ionlinesp.com.
About Nodal
Nodal is one of the world's largest decentralized Bluetooth wireless networks for IoT services, running on millions of devices in Asia, North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Australia. The Nodal Trust Network is built using its own networking stack, blockchain and mobile platform, and consists of mobile nodes, gateways and SDKs that enable Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity for a wide range of IoT applications. Nodal is operated by Intergalactic Labs, headquartered in San Francisco, California, US. Learn more here www.nodle.com.