We’re excited to report Vodacom’s NB-IoT South Africa network coverage is expanding, significantly broadening the adoption of IoT asset tracking applications in this region!
Greater network coverage, longer battery life, and superior device functionality are moving asset tracking towards a ‘mainstream’ enterprise requirement, with Cellular IoT set to dominate the asset tracking market.
According to Tech Central, the current indicative dates by mobile networks of the start of 2G and 3G sunsets are:
Vodacom: 3G sunset starts in 2023, 2G sunset starts in 2025
MTN: 2G and 3G sunset both start in 2025
Telkom: Has already shut down most 2G services as it did not have a large base
Narrowband-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is a low-power wide area (LPWA) cellular network that uses similar narrowband radio technology as Sigfox and LoRaWAN® and is designed to connect low-power IoT applications and devices.
Cellular LPWA networks are particularly well suited for battery-powered asset tracking applications, like trailer, bin, container, livestock, and equipment tracking, as they support incredibly low power consumption, improved range, and better performance as compared with 2G, 3G, and even LoRaWAN and Sigfox networks, depending on the application.
With concerns over smaller bandwidth and lengthy cell tower transition delays that introduce latency in real-time asset tracking applications, we usually see NB-IoT utilized in primarily static tracking applications (asset doesn’t move a lot, or at all) and sensor monitoring.
Over the last few years, however, we have seen substantial improvements in NB-IoT maturity and performance in mobile, or real-time tracking applications, particularly with 3GPP Release 14!
As of August 2021, Vodacom had launched NB-IoT services to 3,500 sites primarily across Guateng, Cape Town (CBD), and Durban (coast) with near-complete coverage of major hubs across the country and continuous rollout to outlying areas.
NB-IoT South Africa Coverage Map as of August 2021
As of April 2023, we can see Vodacom’s NB-IoT coverage has expanded substantially! Further deployments continue, with the aim of having most of the current Vodacom LTE sites enabled for NB-IoT by 2024. Enhancing GPS South Africa asset-tracking capabilities across the region.
To check coverage in your region, view Vodacom’s Coverage Map here.
Digital Matter’s own NB-IoT South Africa network testing has also shown consistent and growing coverage.
Strong and consistent NB-IoT South Afirca coverage on a trip to Flag Boshielo Dam, Limpopo using our Indoor/Outdoor battery-powered asset tracker the Yabby Edge Cellular
Strong and consistent NB-IoT South Africa coverage in and around Johannesburg using our Indoor/Outdoor battery-powered asset tracker the Yabby Edge Cellular
Strong and consistent NB-IoT South Africa coverage in and around Duncanville (Vereeniging) – Around the Gauteng and Free State Border using our battery-powered Oyster3 GPS
Strong and consistent NB-IoT South Africa coverage in and around Lenasia, Westonaria, and Meyerton using our battery-powered Oyster3 GPS
As one of the first IoT hardware manufacturers to go to market with LTE-M/NB-IoT asset tracking devices, we have extensive experience designing and deploying devices on global cellular IoT networks.
Contact us to get started with our versatile range of LTE-M/NB-IoT asset-tracking solutions and the largest portfolio of battery-powered GPS South Africa asset-tracking devices on the market.