SIGFOX’s network is particularly adapted to applications needing to transfer several bytes of data per day. Here are some examples:

• Meter readings and leak monitoring (water, gas, electricity),
• Healthcare (fall detection, monitoring of Alzheimers patients…),
• Security (fire and intrusion central alarm, tracking of cars, mopeds, motorbikes, containers and animals…),
• Transport (rail system monitoring, electric vehicle charging stations, parking guidance, motorways…),
• Environment (pollution monitoring, weather, surface quality, irrigation…),
• Industry (air conditioning, electric network monitoring…)
• …

SIGFOX offers the cheapest and lowest energy-consuming solution on the market for connecting objects. SIGFOX’s network has been designed, adapted and dedicated to the connection of objects. Its design ensures information feedback from very large quantities of transmitters coming from applications with low debits of information. This specialisation enables SIGFOX network’s infrastructure to remains very simple, efficient and resilient. Its optimised architecture allows terminals to consume extremely low amounts of energy whilst ensuring autonomy over a period of several years.
Beyond its economical benefits, SIGFOX’s network contributes to durable growth, environment protection and reduces our customers’ carbon footprint. As the market for connecting objects has the potential to connect billions of objects, each milliwatt saved in data transfer will inevitably generate long term total savings in Megawatts.
Finally, the technology developed by SIGFOX and used in its network requires low transmission power. It enables us to reduce exposure to the electromagnetic pollution produced. 

• Your objects must have an integrated UNB modem to enable the wireless communication of your objects (See the UNB modems manufacturers)
• At the other end of the network, a user account on SIGFOX’s cloud service enables you to connect your software and your communicating objects .

It is aimed at any organisation wanting to connect remote equipment to an information system. The purchase price decreases with quantity, to 0,17 € per month and per object.

The subscription includes:

• Data transfer from your terminals to your server,
• A user account on the SIGFOX cloud service. Here you’ will be able to define your own organisational model, manage users and associated permissions, supervise your objects and connect them to your software,
• An online support or hotline, depending on the conditions defined in your contract,
• Optional services, including battery voltage and terminal temperature monitoring.

You can order a starter kit that includes; 2 boards complete with UNB modems and antenna and an unlimited access to the SIGFOX network. See details of the starter kit.

To receive a quote tailored to your project, contact us.

Our subscriptions are annual contracts, due to the low connection costs per object.

See the coverage map. If your region is not yet covered 100%, contact us.

France will be completely covered by the end of 2012. The deployment in other European countries is envisaged for 2013-2015.

169MHz and 868 MHz are the bands that are currently used. However, SIGFOX is very independent with regards to frequency.
Consequently, depending on our client’s needs, we are able to operate on the following bands:
-    On 26, 31, 36, 40.6, 54 abd 81 MHz bands at a very long distance
-    On 169 MHz (or 224.7 MHz) bands for telemetering, with no trade –offs in terms of antenna/ range/ consumption and low levels of fluctuation for the link budget
-    On 868/915 MHz bands
-    Or on 2;4 GHz band for local loops ( a few Km).

If you have specific request, contact us.

UNB manufacturers

SIGFOX does not manufacture or directly sell UNB modems. SIGFOX certifies the UNB modems produced by its partners. To find out more about prices, directly contact SIGFOX’s manufacturer network.

No, SIGFOX‘s network uses a technology that is independent from that used for GSM.

The environment determines the range of an UNB modem. Outdoors, the typical range in an urban area is 15km and 30km in a rural area. See perfs propagation.pdf

SIGFOX’s technology requires low transmission power and no continuous network synchronisation. This enables unprecedented gains in energy efficiency whilst guaranteeing years of autonomy. Our models indicate that the typical emission consumption of a UNB modem varies from 20mA to 70mA and is inferior to 1 ?A when inactive.
Consequently, your modem’s consumption will depend on volume and frequency transactions, as well as emission power. Note that the emission power can be set between -20dBM and + 20dBM, giving you the scope to find the best compromise in terms of range/ consumption. It should also be noted that the antenna’s radiated power must not exceed 25mW, in accordance with French regulations applying to SIGFOX’s network frequency. 

See  UNB versus competition.pdf

The simulation below allows you to estimate your modem's autonomy based on the information that you provide: transaction volume and battery used. The values are estimated on the basis of typical consumption of modems. They are given for information purposes and have no contractual value.

Battery life simulation

Number of data bytes transmitted per transaction
Number of transactions per day
Battery (Ah)
Estimated battery life (in years)

Sign up to use your modem’s battery management service. Another solution: applicative software

SIGFOX’s network technology uses a standard 100 bits/s rate on free, feeless frequencies. The use of these frequencies in each country is subject to specific conditions (in France, 1% maximum temporal occupation per terminal, which equates to a maximum of 36 seconds per hour). Your application should take this constraint into account.  Furthermore, we would advise you to limit the volume and frequency of your transactions to a strict minimum, so as to increase your UNB modem’s autonomy..

The next network version, in progress, is a bidirectional network, fully backward compatible with existing network. The deployment of this version is planned for early 2013.

Installing a UNB modem underground or indoor is entirely possible, provided that sufficient precautions are taken to set up and choose an antenna tailored to your specific needs.
The UHF ranges used by the network offer good penetration levels in buildings with metric openings (windows, doors, cast iron) whilst remaining sensitive to the nature of non-conductive materials. UHF penetration levels are also good for centimetric openings and casts (air vents and piping systems…). Furthermore, SIGFOX’s technology provides a sensitivity rating of-142 dB, which equates to a system gain of 36 to 47 dB compared with conventional technologies.perfs propagation.pdf

Two techniques are available:
1.    Push Mode
Using an http request, your server will be notified each time your object sends a message.
This system is called a Callback system, and operates in next to real time.  
As soon as an object issues a message, it is received and dealt with in the SIGFOX network then immediately propagated by Callback.
2.    Poll Mode
This refers to an API and allows us to carry out http requests to collect data in SIGFOX’s network. The API is not designed to recover messages in real time, but rather to carry out specific requests, such as:
•    I would like a list of my object
•    I would like all messages issued by object X between such and such date.
•    Etc …