T-Mobile Launches Narrowband IoT Network

T-Mobile launched narrowband IoT service nationwide, which the carrier said is the first such U.S.-wide network “and first in the world to launch NB-IoT in the guard bands for optimal efficiency.” It's based on a 3rd Generation Partnership Project standard and offers a low-power, wide-area network using LTE-advanced technology, T-Mobile said Thursday. Its NB-IoT plan costs $6 a year for up to 12 MB per connected device. “NB-IoT is the globally-preferred standard to power the rapidly expanding world of IoT applications,” said Neville Ray, T-Mobile chief technology officer. Craig Moffett of MoffettNathanson said the announcement has negative implications for Dish Network and its similar proposed network (see 1807100062). “That T-Mobile is able to construct a narrow IoT network out of guard bands seems to suggest that they believe the actual consumption of a low power wide area network will be de minimis,” Moffett wrote. “At just $6 per year, it is clear that the monetization capability of a network like this is very low … and that there is no conceivable economic model for an IoT-only network that doesn’t piggyback on the sunk costs of a network already built for more profitable uses.” Dish declined to comment.