T-Mobile Polska is using NB-IoT technology to enable smart cultivation for Estonian firm eAgronom.

The first implementation in Poland of a commercial e-agriculture project started at the turn of the year using NB-IoT. EAgronom, a company specialising in digital technology for farms, provided sensors to control the condition of crops and provide the data necessary to optimise production. The devices connect using the nationwide NB-IoT network from T-Mobile Polska.

This gives agricultural producers constant access to data on humidity, soil temperature and air in the field. Measurements are made every ten minutes and sent via NB-IoT from any place in Poland to a device with the eAgronom software installed.

The data let users check the condition of the soil, which allows them to plan the date of sowing, care for crops, optimise the use of fertilisers and plan crops.

The SuperSpot Agri sensors used in the project are completely self-sufficient; their installation does not require the installation of any additional infrastructure including cable. The assembly is simple and intuitive, and can be performed by the user. Device activation can be done using a smartphone.

The sensors are connected to the cloud with mobile technology designed for rural applications and where standard GSM signals may be weaker. The IoT sensors are characterised by extended battery life.

The transmission standard in the mobile network affects the battery life of devices, as well as the possibility of using two-way data transmission in hard-to-reach places, such as in cellars or underground floors. This energy-efficient form of data transmission with good signal penetration is an important element in building the IoT infrastructure used for business or city management.

Until now, however, similar services have only been provided locally. T-Mobile Polska can meet the requirements of customers in this field by ensuring network coverage over a large area.

T-Mobile is expanding the number of base stations with NB-IoT, intended for building services based on IoT devices. In 2020, the reach of the operator’s narrowband network already covered 94% of Poland, and the number of T-Mobile base stations with the technology reached 4400.