How We Address One of the Biggest IoT Connectivity Challenges

Beginning on February 22, 2022, AT&T began phasing out its 3G network. This was a significant event for us since a majority of our cellular IoT gateways in northeast Wyoming had been using AT&T towers for most of 2021 and into February 2022. A small number of them, about 10%, utilized T-Mobile towers, but the overwhelming majority consistently used AT&T’s towers to transmit data. As the end of February approached, we watched them very closely to ensure there were no interruptions, and sure enough, on February 28th, we saw that AT&T’s towers dropped about 90% of our devices. 

Fortunately, these devices were able to seamlessly switch to T-Mobile, with only about 10% able to remain with AT&T. Sometime after this event, the majority of our gateways in that area eventually reverted back to AT&T. While this event thankfully had no negative impact on our services, it does highlight the ongoing nature of the cellular IoT connectivity challenges the industry faces. 

Cellular IoT Connectivity

It’s difficult to know if the discontinuation of 3G is related at all to the connectivity changes we experienced soon after. Perhaps during the phase-out of 3G, a firmware update at the tower, or even multiple updates, were required. Unless proper provisions were in place, it’s possible that during a firmware update, our modem or SIM was unable to connect to the AT&T network, resulting in the temporary switchover to T-Mobile. 

The ‘why’ isn’t really the point, though; cellular connectivity can be interrupted by many different events such as severe weather or cyberattacks. What we need to focus on is equipping our customers for these IoT connectivity challenges before they crop up. 

IoT Connectivity Challenges: Coverage & Availability

One of the most persistent challenges is related to coverage and network availability. Anybody who has ever owned a smartphone knows just how much network availability varies, even over small distances, and provider-generated coverage maps are infamously unreliable. If you require your IoT monitoring systems to work in remote areas, how are you supposed to guarantee connectivity? 

Traditionally, users have been limited to the constrictions of the commercial networks available in the areas where they need to deploy systems. If your system required cellular IoT to transmit data, you first needed to understand exactly which towers you had available to you in the region. However, even knowing that AT&T or T-Mobile claim to cover the area, you simply couldn’t know for sure until you performed an on-site test. This required buying SIM cards from multiple cellular providers, traveling out to the location(s) devices will be deployed, and testing them to see which SIM cards worked and which ones didn't. 

Once you discovered which carriers offered the best coverage for your devices, all you could do was hope that no interruptions occurred that would prevent your systems from successfully connecting to the network. 

Achieving Multi-Carrier Redundancy

At EDG, it was important that we address the IoT connectivity challenges mentioned above. And so, our cellular IoT gateways leverage a special soldered-down SIM that is capable of supporting multiple Tier 1 global networks with automatic network failover. This has created convenience on multiple levels.

From a usage perspective, this SIM provides connectivity and redundancy while allowing our cellular IoT gateways to have a degree of self-awareness. An excellent demonstration of this can be seen in the switch, or “failover”, from AT&T to T-Mobile (and back) we discussed earlier. This switch happened without any intervention by our engineers or the customers who purchased these devices. Most importantly, it allowed our gateways to transmit data to the cloud giving our customers a seamless experience without downtime. 

On the technology side of things, this also helps our customers get up and running more quickly. With the SIM technology we utilize, our cellular gateways "just work" so long as there are cellular towers within reach. You only need to purchase one SKU from EDG, and it will be ready to use automatically, so long as the region in which you plan to use it has supported Tier 1 networks. In the United States, AT&T and T-Mobile are the big two, but Union Telecom and Alaska Wireless are also supported. 

This single SKU approach to cellular IoT eliminates pains commonly experienced when managing network-dependent SIM cards for a large group of devices. Traditionally, customers would have to keep a stack of removable SIMs that are supported in particular locations, and then install them on the devices that are going to those locations. Once at the install site, a connectivity issue could result in the technician swapping out the SIM for one of a different network. You can imagine a scenario where data associated with a SIM is mismatched to the wrong device because of a manual logging error.

Since EDG’s SIMs are soldered down, they are permanently attached to our gateways, so our customers don't have to deal with these manually introduced errors. Further, soldered-down SIMs are a robust solution for rugged applications, as vibrations from equipment can adversely affect the electrical connection of a socketed SIM card.

Your Solution to the Biggest IoT Connectivity Challenges

Cellular IoT technology has taken off in recent years, and wide adoption has exposed new IoT connectivity challenges. EDG's integration of soldered-down SIMs with failover is just one of the ways we are proactively tackling these challenges. 

EDG’s cellular IoT gateways work anywhere with Tier 1 Network coverage. No configuration is required, and multi-network support eliminates the need to test multiple SIM cards. They are ready to use immediately after power-up. To guard against wear and tear, a rugged polycarbonate enclosure option ensures hardware is protected from damage caused by environmental conditions such as ice, rain, or wind. And, we automatically deploy over-the-air (OTA) security updates to each unit without application interruption. In short, EDG offers our customers a secure, reliable, and scalable IoT solution. 

If you’ve experienced your own challenges getting your IoT systems off the ground, reach out to EDG today. Our team is ready to help you harness the convenience and flexibility of cellular IoT.

The Value of Third-Party Data Collection in Your CO2 Monitoring System

Many activities of modern human life have altered the carbon cycle; power generating facilities, petrochemical plants, cement production plants, cars and trucks, industrial processes, and agricultural practices all produce CO2 and release it into the environment. Some of this CO2 is naturally sequestered in plants, soils, and the ocean, but to offset these increasing emissions, additional forms of carbon sequestration will be necessary. That’s where geologic CO2 sequestration, also known as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), comes into play. CCS is the process of storing carbon dioxide (CO2) in underground geologic formations. To do this, the CO2 is usually pressurized until it becomes a liquid, then it’s injected into porous rock formations in geologic basins.

CO2 sequestration is important because power plants may need to put CO2 into the earth rather than releasing it to protect the Earth’s atmosphere, but there are currently no federal environmental regulations that are specific to CCS projects or associated pipelines. However, there are many federal environmental laws and regulations, often in coordination with state regulatory agencies, that enable federal agencies to influence efforts across the CCS value chain, such as The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and the Clean Water Act. 

In addition, The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) requires large GHG emission sources, fuel and industrial gas suppliers, and carbon dioxide and oxide injection sites in the US to report greenhouse gas (GHG) data and other relevant information, including information regarding the capture, supply, and underground injection of carbon dioxide and oxide. Regulations governing CCS provide a mechanism for facilities to monitor their activities and report the amounts of carbon dioxide they sequester to the EPA. 

Before CO2 injection, targeted reservoirs must be modeled using multiscale and multiphysics numerical simulations coupled with field observations to assess the reservoir’s ability to securely sequester CO2. It’s necessary to monitor the evolution of CO2, the reservoir, and the caprock both before and after the injection. To ensure the process has been done correctly and no CO2 is escaping into the atmosphere, a CO2 monitoring system is required. 

Using a CO2 Monitoring System in Monitoring & Verification

Monitoring 

A CO2 monitoring system is necessary throughout the lifecycle of a project to: 

• Characterize the suitability of sites before an injection project begins

• Monitor an injection site (e.g., formation pressure, plume-spread, leak detection, etc.) while the injection is in progress and during immediate post-closure operations

• Operate a site safely and effectively

• Assess possible site expansions

• Remediate problems at all stages of the life cycle

• Determine when a site should move from post-closure to long-term stewardship

• Monitor during long-term stewardship

So, how does monitoring & verification (M&V) work? It starts with sensor monitoring, as this must occur before CO2 sequester sites are set up to understand the baseline emissions of the earth. Then, each site’s CO2 levels will need to be monitored again after initial setup to make sure the CO2 is successfully being sequestered. By subtracting the baseline, you ensure there’s no false measurement of CO2. 

While CO2 monitoring is undoubtedly important, it isn’t without its challenges. Traditionally, monitoring would require a technician to visit each of the sites and record the CO2 reading, requiring regular travel to and from the location, and a reliance on manual readings that suffer from inconsistencies (human error, different recording methodologies, etc.). Luckily, there is a simple solution. Using a remote CO2 monitoring system saves time and money on travel, eliminates human error, and increases the number of readings you can take each week, improving the overall dataset. 

Data Retention

When you rely on a CO2 monitoring system, there is a lot of value in using a third party. CCS projects are increasing in frequency and global significance as regulatory entities, investors, and shareholders further drive the demand for decarbonization and sustainability, but since relatively few CCS projects have been completed to date, owner companies don’t have access to reliable cost estimates and performance data necessary to inform decision-making. 

There is a need for raw, unmodified data, both for your own future CCS projects and for the industry as a whole – CCS project data collected directly from project teams and participating companies is incredibly valuable. The ability to retain the original dataset allows you to utilize data for modeling on numerous occasions, normalizing it for time, location, and currency differences to enable robust analysis. That’s why when you use EDG to collect site data, you’ll always be able to access the raw, unmodified sensor data – if there’s ever a question about the original data, you’ll have all of the information you need to answer it. 

Combine Disparate Data Sources

Proper monitoring requires gathering data for many different sensors positioned around the site, but collecting and aggregating data from these sensors can be difficult if they aren’t all from the same manufacturer. With EDG, this isn’t an issue. EDG enables devices from different manufacturers (and devices with different protocols) to interface, allowing the data to be merged and viewed together by the software. This makes it far easier to create applications, as it reduces costs, time, and ultimately, headaches.

Verification

The connection between M&V and regulation is in the word “verification” – how monitoring results demonstrates to regulators and other stakeholders that their requirements are being met and CO2 is successfully being contained. The problem is that organizations may be tempted to alter their data to make the results look more favorable. So, to prove that the data they’re presenting is accurate, organizations can opt for third-party verification. EDG, for instance, stores the raw data collected by remote sensors, so even though organizations have the ability to alter the data on their end, you can prove your due diligence by providing raw, unmodified data derived by an unbiased third party. 

Monitor And Verify Your Data With EDG

EDG not only allows organizations to monitor their CO2 sequestration sites from anywhere in the world, but can act as a third party to verify their results to stakeholders and regulating bodies. Our IoT cloud infrastructure allows devices from different manufacturers to interface with one another, spares technicians from having to go to the field to take readings in person, and stores the raw data so you can use it to make deeper analyses and prove your findings. Need a better remote CO2 monitoring system – one that offers third-party verification? Contact EDG today!

Abstracting IoT Security Away from the User

A secure IoT solution must consider all aspects of the system from the sensor to the user. This includes everything from hardware, firmware, and any application software which allows the user to access their data. While any reputable IoT platform is designed with security as a priority, breaches can still occur as a result of user error during complex device configuration steps.

Traditional IoT platforms are marketed directly to engineers, and usual require users to be knowledgeable in gateway configuration, firewalls, data encryption, and in some cases updating and patching their devices to ensure their system is secure for the lifetime that the product is deployed. Further, some systems require the customer to purchase a third party hardware controller to transmit their data from the sensor to the cloud. While there are many advantages of storing data in the cloud, each party brought into the datapath adds additional layers of cybersecurity risk.

EDG’s end-to-end IoT platform provides security for the full datapath from the sensor to the user. Over-the-air (OTA) security updates are provided to our devices automatically without any user intervention, and without interrupting the user’s application. Because our devices transmit data directly to the EDG Client Portal, users simply need to log in to view their dashboard or download their data. This abstracts complex gateway configuration, firewalls, and data encryption responsibilities away from the user, and allows them to focus on analyzing their data.

EDG’s solution is available off-the-shelf, and our security updates are automatic without your involvement. We’ll ship our systems preconfigured to read from your sensors. You’ll simply apply power, and data will be automatically transmitted to the EDG Client Portal. If you can log into a website, you are ready to use our platform. And you’ll have full confidence that our system is secure because there are no third party components you’ll need to configure.

Contact us today, and let’s bring your project to life.

Announcing the EDG Client Portal

The EDG Client Portal is live, and ready to bring data from around the globe to your fingertips. The web portal makes it easy for your team to monitor trends, make predictions, and take action.

Instead of driving back and forth between field sites, save time and money by accessing your sensor data directly from the EDG Client Portal. Use the portal to equip your technicians with a clear plan before sending them on the road to make repairs.

Here’s how it works:

• Connect your sensors to EDG’s hardware and apply power to the system.

• EDG’s hardware detects the strongest cellular connection in the area and transmits data from your sensors to the EDG Client Portal. (WiFi is also supported)

• From the EDG Client Portal, a single dashboard allows you to monitor data from multiple locations around the globe.

• The dashboard synthesizes the data and presents it in a way that is easy to understand, allowing you to monitor trends, make predictions, and take action.

To experience a virtual demonstration, contact us today.

EDG Secure Remote Integrations

Laramie (Wyoming), August 10th, 2020 — Engineering Design Group, LLC announces development of secure remote monitoring products, a web-based client portal, and system integrations for Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

Data transmission from sensor to the cloud starts with an ARM Cortex R4 processor which sends data to EDG’s client portal via 802.11a/b/g/n/ac dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) or LTE (Cat M1/Cat NB1/EGPRS). Global cellular connectivity is provided with an onboard SIM.

The EDG client portal provides a dashboard where customers can access data from sensors connected to arrays of their EDG systems. Sensor interfaces include I2C, SMBus, UART, and SPI, and sit alongside general purpose I/O to support a wide array of applications.

Secure data transmissions are provided through a mature third party platform and OS which provide remotely deployed security updates to the product for the lifetime of the customer service agreement with EDG.

In conjunction with the controllers, EDG will be releasing a smart battery charger with solar panel support enabling stand-alone data monitoring solutions.

EDG’s secure remote integrations can be optimized for industries such as renewable energy, natural gas, mining, and manufacturing with common applications including predictive maintenance, remote control and monitoring, asset management, and auto-replenishment. To schedule a consultation, please contact us at sales@edglab.com.

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Engineering Design Group, LLC will maintain its contract engineering services as we work closely with our customers to deliver secure remote integrations for their systems. This is in alignment with our mission to help companies navigate the complex barrier of designing their own hardware, firmware, and software, so they can focus on growing their businesses.