News
China’s cellular IoT connections account for 70 percent of world’s total
By Wang Zheng, People’s Daily
The number of connections for cellular Internet of Things (IoT) services hit 1.84 billion in China as of the end of 2022, an increase of 447 million from a year ago, accounting for 70 percent of the world’s total, according to statistics recently released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of China.
Network infrastructure has been strengthened and a collaborative network preliminarily built.
As of the end of the last year, the total number of mobile communication base stations in China reached 10.83 million, a net increase of 870,000.
A collaborative network featuring synergetic development of narrowband IoT, 4G and 5G has been forged preliminarily.
China boasts the world’s largest narrowband IoT network which covers regions above township level in all major cities across the country. Its 4G network features universal coverage of urban and rural areas, and all townships have access to the 5G network.
The total number of the terminal connections for mobile network has reached nearly 3.53 billion. In particular, the number of cellular IoT end users has surpassed that of mobile phone users by 161 million, accounting for 52.3 percent of the total.
Cellular IoT services saw enriched application scenarios and an improved industrial chain.
So far, China has built a complete industrial chain in the cellular IoT industry, which covers chips, modules, terminals, software, platforms, and services.
Each of the numbers of narrowband IoT water meters, natural gas meters, smoke detectors, and tracking devices has reached 10 million, and the figure has exceeded 1 million for major appliances, street lamps, parking facilities, agricultural facilities, and other three types of narrowband IoT terminals.
Currently, there are 496 million, 375 million, 250 million, and 192 million cellular IoT terminals applied in such sectors as public services, connected vehicles, intelligent retailing, and smart home, respectively.
In addition, the application is gradually seeping into intelligent manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, and logistics, as well as consumer IoT.
An MIIT official said China will strive to achieve deep coverage of key scenarios by cellular IoT between 2021 and 2025.
The country will build a basic network supporting fixed-mobile integration and broadband-narrowband convergence, and will accelerate the integration of mobile IoT into different industries, so as to better promote its economy, make social services smarter and more efficient, and better facilitate the people, the official noted.
News
TCN Acknowledges 7th Grid Collapse in 2024
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported its seventh partial grid collapse in 2024. Despite the recurring issue, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, reassured the public that efforts to restore power are well underway, with about 90% of substations receiving bulk power.
Mbah noted that the Azura Power Station initiated the grid recovery, although a minor setback occurred. However, power supply has been restored to the Abuja region and other key distribution centers. The Ibom Gas Generating Station remained unaffected, continuing to supply power to the South-South region.
An investigation into the cause of the collapse will commence once full grid restoration is achieved.
News
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Shettima assured the public that the federal government is mobilizing resources to support the injured and assist those affected. He has directed the immediate deployment of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide aid. The Vice President also stressed the need for a review of fuel transportation safety protocols to prevent future incidents.
In a separate statement, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu offered her condolences to Jigawa Governor Umar Namadi and the people of Jigawa, praying for peace and comfort for the families affected. She called the incident “unfortunate” and extended prayers for the recovery of the injured and the repose of the souls lost in the tragedy.
News
Nigeria Customs Intercepts Arms, Ammunition Worth N9.5bn Over Six Years
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Adeniyi highlighted that 60% of these seizures occurred in 2023, reflecting the Customs’ increased efforts to curb arms smuggling. He also mentioned that recent operations such as Operation Whirlwind and Operation Swift Sting are part of a strategic response to tackle evolving smuggling tactics.
In addition to arms seizures, the Customs CG announced the largest pangolin scale seizure since 2020, with 9,493 kg of scales confiscated in collaboration with the Wildlife Justice Commission. The joint operation led to four arrests across Kano, Kaduna, and Lagos. The NCS continues to intensify efforts against wildlife trafficking, targeting supply routes in northern Nigeria and border areas.
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