We have been talking pointed out about smart cities for 20 years and there are experiences and solutions, but they have not yet escalated, Emanuel Jaffrot, IoT Sigfox manager of Grupo Datco, presenting the 12th edition of Government Networks and Intelligent Cities held in the city of Bariloche . For the executive, the explanation of the slow escalation lies in the high cost of connectivity of traditional technologies, the cost of dedicated infrastructure and partial coverage in the areas of interest.

In this context, Jaffrot explained that Datco's national multi-purpose network on Sigfox technology is advancing in coverage (see map) - there are Sigfox networks in 32 countries and 60 are expected in early 2018 - and this allows us to close local contracts with international coverage. He also clarified that it is an open ecosystem that anyone can develop for Sigfox, and that it is interoperable with Big Data's leading analytics platforms. He considered that 12 Kbps are enough for many applications of intelligent cities, emphasizing that in IoT the intelligence is in what the data is used for and not in the network itself.

Regarding the progress of IoT in Argentina, he said that there are 25 companies working on IoT solutions for Sigfox and that he was able to see the first prototype of an IoT device made 100% in the country. It is a sensor for filling waste containers and also advance initiatives for parking and other areas.

To encourage the development of IoT applications, Grupo Datco offers the possibility of testing applications without connection costs and is only charged when the development enters the commercial phase.