Ensto, Ericsson and DNA jointly test next generation communications in an electric vehicle charger

Ensto, Ericsson and DNA are collaborating to test next generation Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity in an electric vehicle (EV) charging station as part of Ensto Flow innovation program. The new connectivity standards being tested now are the next step in developing LTE networks to support Internet of Things solutions. Mobile network technology is taking a big leap forward with Massive IoT communications and 5th generation wireless networks. 5G networks are often hailed for their faster speeds, but for an EV charging station the speed is not the most crucial factor. 5G offers other useful and attractive benefits. "Massive IoT solutions paving the way for 5G technologies offer many benefits for connected devices. The signal carries better in difficult environments, such as parking garages deep underground, eliminating many of the challenges faced by our charging stations at the moment. We also expect the next generation wireless technologies to be more cost effective both in operational costs as well as initial hardware investment" explains Ville Parviainen, Director of Product Development for Ensto's EV charging business. Even more important than getting a 5G network to a charging station is getting an understanding of future networking technologies. “This pilot with Ensto and DNA is another great example of how mobile technology will help industries gain full benefits of Massive IoT. In general, IoT offers a huge potential value in terms of improved efficiency, sustainability, and safety for industries and for society. At the same time, we need solutions that can scale and handle millions of devices efficiently,” says Olli Sirkka, Head of Ericsson Finland. ”We are happy for this important trial with Ericsson and Ensto. Last year we published wide availability of NB-IoT connectivity in DNA’s 4G network. Cat-M1, also known as LTE-M, shall complement the IoT connectivity offering in near future as we prepare our network for 5G. This way we can even better support more use cases and user groups,” says Jarkko Laari, Director of Radio Networks at DNA. "Massive IoT and 5G offer an unparalleled platform to communicate with nearly everything, big or small. It has strong potential in other IoT applications beyond EV charging, such as smart buildings and smart grid. Low latency and high speed combined with traffic prioritization allows extremely reliable real time control of devices without the need to rely on wired network infrastructure. To make this experiment possible Ericsson has provided us their expertise in Massive IoT and 5G and DNA the actual Massive IoT capable network. This experiment would not be possible without either of them." continues Visa Parviainen, Chief Technology Officer for Ensto Solutions. The EV charger used in testing combines solutions from Ensto, Ericsson and DNA. In the pilot, the charging station was connected through DNA’s Massive IoT enabled mobile network. It is using Cat-M1 (LTE-M) technology, which delivers longer battery life, extended coverage, two-way communications and possibility for voice control and support. Ensto Flow is an Ensto's program that looks at future technologies and innovative solutions through collaboration with other industry partners.