Wireless Network Devices and Sigfox Forge Partnership to Deploy Nationwide UK IoT Network

Wireless Network Devices (WND), a leading Internet of Things (IoT) network operator, has announced a strategic partnership with Sigfox, the French low‑power wide‑area network (LPWAN) provider, to establish a comprehensive IoT infrastructure across the United Kingdom by the end of 2018.

Sigfox recently transitioned its UK operations from Arqiva to WND, positioning the partnership to expand its current coverage—which serves approximately 30% of the UK population, concentrated in 11 metropolitan regions—to a national footprint.

See Also: Sigfox collaborating with Microsoft’s Azure IoT Hub

According to industry analysts at Verdict, the joint venture aims to extend coverage to 95% of the UK population by the close of next year, effectively bridging the service gaps left by Arqiva’s previous deployment.

Both WND and Sigfox bring proven deployment experience to the table. Sigfox has successfully launched networks in Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States, while WND has secured multiple IoT contracts across Latin America. Their combined expertise is expected to accelerate the transition from 30% to 95% coverage without significant competition from mainstream wireless carriers.

Stakeholders anticipate a marked increase in coverage over the next 12 months, which should drive greater industry interest and encourage the UK government to move beyond pilot projects and toward formal approval and funding for low‑power wide‑area networks.

Meanwhile, EE—Britain’s largest mobile operator—has confirmed plans to trial an IoT upgrade to its 4G LTE network by year‑end. Although EE benefits from extensive spectrum holdings, it appears to be taking a measured approach to nationwide IoT rollout.