26. 6. 2017 3 min

With its IoT network, České Radiokomunikace covers more than 60% of the population

Prague, 26 June 2017 – České Radiokomunikace (CRA) continues to expand its network dedicated to the Internet of Things (IoT).  After another construction stage of the network based on the LoRa platform, CRA now covers 60.2% of the Czech population. In addition to increasing the density of existing areas, new locations are also being added. 70% of the Czech Republic should be covered by the end of the year. At the same time, CRA seeks alternative ways to use IoT and is announcing its second annual Czech IoT Summer Jam software competition. The competition is planned to run through October. Winning projects will have the opportunity to implement their ideas and receive a financial reward. Individuals, as well as start-ups interested in participating can register at pripoj.me.

“Our current primary focus is on expanding our IoT network to achieve 70% coverage of the Czech population by the end of 2017. We are investing into our own IoT cloud and launching initial commercial projects. Another area we are intensively engaged in are smart solutions for modern cities. We strive to introduce the Internet of Things and what it offers to the public, and therefore we are organizing another chapter of the software-oriented competition Czech IoT Summit,” says CRA Sales Director Miloš Mastník.

Between April and June 2017, CRA expanded its coverage to areas surrounding larger cities throughout the Czech Republic – for example around Jičín, Trutnov, Semily, Jablonec nad Nisou, Varnsdorf, Bílina, Louny, Chomutov, Jáchymov, Cheb, Klatovy, Třeboň, Hořovice, Vlašim, Kutná Hora, Svitavy, Hranice na Moravě, Blansko, Boskovice, Vsetín, Bruntál, Třinec and other cities. This effort covered a total of 60.2 % of the Czech population. 70 % of the population will be covered during the fourth stage by the end of 2017.

CRA is also currently working on spreading the word about IoT among specialists in the field. The company is announcing its second annual Czech IoT Summer Jam 2017 software competition. The aim of this competition is to discover ideas, applications and future alternatives for using the Internet of Things network of CRA based on LoRa technologies. The competition is intended for students, graduates, start-ups and technology companies. When designing their applications, participants can take advantage of data from sensors operated by CRA and competition partners. The expert jury, comprised of CRA and competition partner representatives, will select the three best projects submitted by 22 October 2017. More information about the competition and other events can be found at pripoj.me.

CRA joined the LoRa Alliance, which connects entities that utilize LoRaWAN technology (LPWAN) for its projects and infrastructure. From the perspective of CRA, joining the LoRa Alliance provides the opportunity to share experience with other members at an international level and also gain access to projects previously implemented outside of the country. One of the first CRA projects, as a member of the LoRa Alliance, is IoT roaming, which currently facilitates the connection with the IoT service operator in Slovakia, as well as operators in other countries. This gives customers the opportunity of utilizing IoT services of CRA beyond the Czech border.

CRA offers its IoT services commercially – IoT infrastructure application and IoT Cloud environment, which is neutral in terms of the technology used, and can be used for any platform beyond LoRa and is also compatible with third-party analytical and business intelligence tools. In addition to this, CRA is developing a platform that, in cooperation with suitable business partners, will ensure comprehensive solutions for the widest range of projects associated with the Internet of Things. Partners with whom České Radiokomunikace successfully cooperates includes Smartbridge on projects concerning smart benches and smart waste bins, or Epdor, a solution provider for the industry and energy sectors.

Download the press release HERE

České Radiokomunikace a.s. (CRA) is a leader in digital infrastructure. Apart from broadcasting services, the company focuses on connecting the world of television, radio and internet. It operates its very own data centre and provides exceptional computing power to its customers. CRA has its very own optic backbone network and thanks to its strong broadcasting infrastructure, it can also offer its clients wireless solutions or fibre optic connections for nearby regions.

Download the CRA application that contains everything about our products, interactively in one place: