1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G. You could be easily forgiven for thinking that the next shakeup to the network and telecommunications industry would be 6G. While 6G is undoubtedly on its way, the next revolution is already here and being used in a spectrum of applications in various industries across the globe.
And, it’s called, drumroll please, 0G!
Unlike its counterparts, 0G has largely gone under the radar. However, you’d be surprised to learn about the wide range of applications and potential benefits it has to offer.
But, there’s a twist. Conventionally, we’re used to new networking technologies promising higher speeds and more bandwidth. For example, 5G can be up to 100 times faster than 4G, with theoretical top speeds of up to 20 GB/s.
Conversely, 0G is a low-bandwidth network with a different set of priorities that are no less valuable to modern business.
In this guide, we’ll catch you up on everything you need to know about 0G and how it can help improve your life, work, business, or government.
0g Technology – What is it?
0G technology is also known as mobile radio telephone. It’s a pre-cellphone era form of wireless communication. It has been in use since 1946 and has been utilised in various communication systems, such as PTT (Push to Talk), MTS (Mobile Telephone System), IMTS (Improved Mobile Telephone Service), and AMTS (Advanced Mobile Telephone System).
Today’s 0G network is a dedicated, low-bandwidth wireless network specifically designed to connect simple, low-powered, low-cost IoT devices to the internet.
0G devices don’t rely on conventional communication methods or networks. For example, 0G-enabled devices don’t need SIM cards to communicate. This eliminates a lot of overhead for businesses and organisations that utilise an extensive and diversified IoT network with hundreds, if not thousands of individual devices.
In fact, 0G technology is considered the next big thing to revolutionise the IoT space across a range of applications. Experts and 0G enthusiasts picture IoT smart cities, powered and interconnected by 0G networks.
Local and national governments are particularly strong candidates for adopting 0G, not least because of its cost-saving potential.
Today, 0G technology is already used in several applications like this. For example, in Spain, they are being used in streetlights to help the government gain insights into how to improve energy consumption, lighting quality and understand the most crucial factors involved. In France, they are used in water detection systems to prevent damage from leaks from across the channel in England.
From garbage disposal to asset tracking in enterprise-scale logistical operations, the possibilities are endless.
However, 0G technology isn’t only interesting to municipalities. Businesses across a variety of verticals can leverage its benefits to improve their ever-growing IoT needs.
Advantages of 0g technology
If there’s one thing that 0G technologies prove, it’s that bigger, faster, and more complex technologies aren’t always the best in all situations. 0G devices turn our intuition on its head by using what we would typically consider being limitations as advantages in specific applications.
The key advantages you can expect from 0G technology were enshrined by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in 2019. A properly implemented 0G network has the potential to deliver the following benefits:
- Increased security: 0G networks are only designed to support one-way communication. When needed, a device sends information to a central processing server and then goes to sleep. There is no handshake or two-way communication.
Even if hackers were to intercept communications somehow, they would not be able to request more information than the specific packet sent. And they would then have to wait an unknown amount of time to try and intercept the next one. The low bitrate also means hackers will access less information at a time. 0G networks can also have advanced security features, such as anti-jamming technologies.
- More power-efficient: Because 0G is a low-bandwidth network with a simpler architecture, it consumes much less energy than 5G and other conventional networks. Just think of how much longer your mobile device’s battery lasts with the aeroplane mode switched on! This results in longer device uptime and reduced maintenance.
- Wide coverage and compatibility: Despite being low-energy, 0G networks can communicate over extremely long distances. It can also penetrate solid surfaces, like walls. Furthermore, it connects seamlessly with other networks, such as Bluetooth, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, and WiFi.
- Low overhead: Aside from reducing electricity consumption, 0G devices can help eliminate overhead in many other areas. You don’t need to use sim cards, pay high-bandwidth network costs, install physical cables, or configure complex networks.
Sigfox 0G Network
When it comes to driving the adoption of 0G technology, Sigfox is one of the pioneers leading the way. In their own words, the Sigfox exists to enable connecting “low bandwidth, battery-powered devices with low bit rates over long ranges.”
The aim is to allow organisations to collect physical data at the lowest cost and allow billions of autonomous objects to play a role in economic and social development.
The Sigfox 0G network is deployed in over 70 countries across all five continents. It spans over 5.4km² and affects the lives of over 1 billion people. Sigfox also claims to have 15.5 million objects that are connected to their 0G network, which handles over 30 million messages a day.
This makes it a seamless and global network suitable for the modern no-border business.
Among others, the Sigfox 0G network is used in asset tracking, indoor & outdoor monitoring and backup security.
Big names like DHL and the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) have already signed up for Sigfox’s 0G network.
0G Offer a Different Route
In today’s world, we’re always chasing the aspiration to be faster, by delivering more data at lower latency.
While the appeal is obvious, the capacity of 5G networks often exceeds our needs in many applications. This leads to wasted resources and increased overhead without consistently delivering more bang for your buck.
0G, on the other hand, offers a different route. In a world dominated by IoT, 0G promises the capacity to reliably and securely send small messages across vast and densely populated interconnected networks.
All of this, without having to utilise complex or resource-intensive devices and network infrastructure.
