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Netherlands gets world’s first nation-wide IoT network

The Netherlands has become the first country in the world to implement a nation-wide long range (LoRa) network for the Internet of Things.

In its initial phase the network was rolled out in Rotterdam and The Hague in November, and due to substantial customer interest, has now been rolled out across the nation.

The network is provided by Dutch telecommunications group KPN, which has already made deals to connect some 1.5 million objects to the IoT. This number is expected to grow now that the network is available across the country.

There are a number of experiments underway to trial the use of the network across large applications. For example, tests are being carried out at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport for baggage handling, and the Ultrecht rail station is trialling the use of the network to monitor rail switches.

Recent data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and IoT search engine Shodan shows that of the countries with the most IoT devices, The Netherlands is ranked fifth. In ascending order are the United States, Switzerland, Denmark and South Korea.

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