More than a decade ago, the founders of Radio Bridge were on the leading edge of connecting devices to cellular networks for machine-to-machine (M2M) communications.
In recent years with the explosion of the Internet of Things (IoT) movement, Radio Bridge founders Steve Kilts and Mike Fette identified a major issue in the industry: traditional cellular connectivity is too expensive and power hungry for simple battery powered devices.
“We saw a huge need for connecting simple devices, but cellular, though great for many applications, was just overkill for simple sensors,” says Steve Kilts, one of the co-founders of Radio Bridge. “We build a line of sensors that talk to a class of emerging wireless networks, generally referred to as LPWAN. Our products are long range, low cost, and have extended battery life. Plus, they’re connected through the MachineQ network.”
Thanks to the connectivity and backing offered by MachineQ, Radio Bridge is able to focus on their areas of expertise, and continually expand with the market. “Really, our partnership with MachineQ is a no-brainer,” says Kilts. “We focus on developing sensor solutions that leverage the MachineQ LoRaWAN network. The network transfers our sensor data to a web-based console where it is interpreted and presented to end users. With the network connectivity taken care of, we can focus on creating finished solutions that are easy to use.”
Kilts says MachineQ’s extensive network coverage through both public networks and private gateways is an important enabler for Radio Bridge’s sensors. “The private gateways allow us to work with clients in a wider range of fields, opening up new avenues of business,” says Kilts.
Another element that makes MachineQ a valued partner for Radio Bridge is the company’s agility. “In the IoT industry, standards are constantly evolving and devices need to be updated to match that development,” says Kilts. “The MachineQ team is very responsive and is able to adapt and fix bugs that arise quickly, allowing us to stay up to date with the current standards.”
Kilts says Radio Bridge’s customers also appreciate the myriad ways MachineQ can share data with its users. “Data from our sensors can be shared as push notifications, emails, or text messages, or even piped via API to our clients’ own web applications,” says Kilts, adding that the variety of options available enables clients of all types to manage their data efficiently.
“It’s a really exciting time,” says Kilts. “Through our partnership with MachineQ, we’re seeing a lot of interest in LoRaWAN sensors. The future is really, really strong in IoT – there’s a huge amount of potential.”
To learn more about Radio Bridge, visit RadioBridge.com.
