The future of locks is finally here with Narrowband Internet of Things by Vodafone and Huawei. With the emergence of this new technology we have the opportunity to unlock enormous security improvements to all types of locks. With no need for onsite infrastructure and power we are able to provide a solution that has all of the benefits of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth locks, with a more secure technology.
Due to technology rapidly evolving, some lock companies have been forced to offer solutions that use a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to offer timed-access control. As a result hotels, such as Hilton and Starwood, are using a costly and unreliable digital key solutions that rely on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. However, with these “solutions” there comes all the typical problems associated with these technologies such as pairing problems, network congestion, black spots, and unreliable network consistency. Moreover, as the technology continuously rolls out, the number of complaints continues to increase. Most complaints simply focus on the one harsh reality of these Wi-Fi and Bluetooth solutions; they simply don’t work all the time every time, like locks should.
To combat this, Vodafone and Huawei have come together to create a solution that offers the best features of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with a more secure and reliable network with Narrowband IoT (NB IoT). Similar to 1G, NB IoT, means greater battery life and it offers lock manufacturers the ability to hook up their smart locks to a cloud. With this technology the applications are almost limitless. In hotels, NB IoT offers a fantastic asset to better manage day-to-day operations, including the opportunity for guests to have an automated smartphone self check-in. When connected to other smart devices, hotels now have the opportunity to begin the development of the hotel room of the future; a smart, intuitive, and responsive room with key technologies to ensure sustainability and profitability over time. Ultimately, these features of NB IoT in smart locks is the ability to capture all data in one place in the cloud, and integrating that with all other hotel software and hardware such as smart lights, and smart thermostats to improve the travel experience for everyone.
For more information on NB IoT check out Vodafone's page here.