Environmental Monitoring Industry Gets Connectivity Boost

Historically hindered by difficulties getting online, a new IoT-enabled device is changing the industry

Written by Scarlett Evans
2nd May 2022

A new partnership between remote water monitoring group In-Situ and cellular communications company EMnify is bringing remote data collection capabilities to the environmental monitoring industry.

The partners are combining their technologies to provide their VuLink solution; a cellular telemetry device that can work at almost any customer site, bringing real-time data collection across extended distances. Using EMnify’s API-enabled onboarding, the new device allows users to set up and access remote water monitoring just by scanning a QR code, a feature that the companies have touted as a breakthrough given the typical difficulties seen in connectivity setup and management.

Currently, around 90% of data collection devices in the environmental monitoring industry lack internet connection, requiring time and cost consuming in-person visits to data collection sites. The new device also boasts a sixfold increase in battery life, further reducing the need for manual intervention to ensure maintenance.

Using EMnify’s LTE-M and NB-IoT cellular connectivity and global IoT SIM, In-Situ’s latest offering has already been rolled out across 50 countries, with In-Situ director of product development Matt Trumbo saying the rollout has been “wildly successful.”

“As we moved to support LTE-M and NB-IoT with VuLink, EMnify was very committed and had clear plans that aligned with our launch timeline. Frankly, other providers we had talked to did not,” said Trumbo.

EMnify’s IoT network is currently the largest of its kind, with the group’s API and SIM technology connecting and securing any kind of IoT deployment to its application back-end.

“At EMnify, we’re committed to enabling the next generation of IoT devices by creating cellular connectivity technologies that just work, with frictionless deployment, low energy usage, and low per-device connectivity costs,” said Christian Rodatus, EMnify COO. “We’re thrilled to be enabling In-Situ as they bring industry-leading IoT monitoring solutions into some of the world’s most challenging and remote environments.”