Deutsche Telekom says it’s the best at NB-IoT atop its efficient horse

With MWC just around the corner we shouldn’t be surprised at a bit of chest beating from operators. Deutsche Telekom has stepped up to the plate saying everyone else is comparatively useless at NB-IoT.

The claim is based on DT’s current NB-IoT, which now extends to eight European countries as well as the US. While this does sound very impressive, it should be worth noting the rollout is not complete in all of these countries, but nationwide coverage should come before too long. According to DT, its European rollout in on schedule.

“Deutsche Telekom’s aim is to deliver this exciting technology across Europe and the US as quickly as possible, both by making the NB-IoT sensor network available everywhere as well as actively driving the development of innovative NB-IoT solutions,” said DT’s Ingo Hofacker.

“The extensive availability of NB-IoT network coverage in 2018 beyond the initial city-led pilots we have seen last year lays the ground for NB-IoT solutions to be deployed not only locally, but also nationally and across borders.”

Just like 4G coverage is a thing to shout about now, NB-IoT coverage will soon become one. For multinational companies who have an interest in IoT, working with a telco which can offer coverage in multiple markets will be a more attractive proposition. It cuts down on paperwork and the benefits of scale will be there. DT seems to be a typically German job on running a highly efficient rollout.

In terms of the actual progress, the nationwide rollout is complete in the Netherlands, while DT has promised nationwide coverage in other markets at some point in the opaque future. The telco does have an NB-IoT presence in an additional five European nations, as well as Germany, though details on when this would actually be a nationwide presence are unsurprisingly thin.

So DT is the best at NB-IoT because it says so, and your correspondent is going to be the tallest man in London.