NEC has announced the provision of a LoRaWAN-compliant network server in trials of remote liquefied petroleum (LP) gas meter reading performed in Tochigi City, Japan, through a LoRaWAN (low-power and wide-area wireless technology) network that utilizes a cable television (CATV) network. These trials are being implemented from October to December of this year.

During the trials, LP gas meters installed in homes in Tochigi City will be connected by a LoRaWAN network. Meter reading information will be accumulated in a LoRaWAN network server through a backhaul CATV network. The accumulated meter reading information is visualized on an application that enables performance to be evaluated and verified, such as assessing the quality of LoRa communications and the effectiveness of remote control functions for LP gas meters.

In this demonstration experiment, NEC is providing a LoRaWAN network server and gateway and creating the demonstration environment of LoRaWAN in cooperation with NEC Magnus Communications, Cable TV Wireless Utilization Promotion Council (Bureau: Japan Cable and Telecommunications Association), Cable TV Co., Suda Shoji, Innovation Farm, and ZeroSpec.