Sigfox Explained

Sigfox 0G technology is a global Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA) networking protocol founded in 2010^[1] and adopted by 70+ Sigfox 0G Network Operators globally. This wireless network was designed to connect low-power objects such as electricity meters securely, at low-cost, emitting small amounts of data.

Sigfox is based in Labège near Toulouse, France, and once had over 375 employees in Madrid, San Francisco, Sydney and Paris.^{[2] [3]}

The former Sigfox entity had raised more than $300 million from investors that included Salesforce, Intel, Samsung, NTT, SK Telecom, energy groups Total and Air Liquide. In November 2016 Sigfox was valued at around €600 million. In January 2022 it filed for bankruptcy.^[4]

In April 2022 Singapore-based IoT company UnaBiz acquired the Sigfox 0G technology and its French network operations for a reported €25 million ($27m).^[5]

As of December 2024, the Sigfox 0G network managed by UnaBiz supports over 14 million active connected devices worldwide.^[6]

Technology

Sigfox employs differential binary phase-shift keying (DBPSK) and Gaussian frequency shift keying (GFSK) over the Short-range device band of 868 MHz in Europe, and the Industrial, Scientific and Medical radio band of 902 MHz in the US. It utilizes a wide-reaching signal that passes freely through solid objects, called "Ultra Narrowband" and requires little energy, being termed a "low-power wide-area network" (LPWAN). The network is based on one-hop star topology.^[7] The signal can also be used to easily cover large areas and to reach underground objects.^[8] As of December 2024, the Sigfox 0G global network has covered a total of 5.8 million square kilometers in a total of 75 countries with 1.3 billion of the world population reached.^[9]

The Sigfox 0G technology is supported by a number of firms in the LPWAN industry such as NXP Semiconductors, Holtek, ST Microelectronics, Semtech and Silicon Labs. The ISM radio bands support limited bidirectional communication. The existing standard for Sigfox communications supports up to 140 uplink messages a day, each of which can carry a payload of 12 octets (Byte) at a data rate of up to 100 bits per second, and/or 600bit/s in some regions.^{[10] [11]}

Upon acquisition, UnaBiz released the Sigfox device library code for connected objects to the public and IoT development community to drive technology interoperability and the unification of LPWANs in the IoT industry.^[12] The developer community can now visit the 0G technology's Github page and Build to access the new device library codes and related documentation.

Coverage

• Map of coverage and countries under roll-out

Notes and References

1. Web site: Our Story Sigfox. 2020. Sigfox.
2. Web site: Residents. Partech Shaker. 13 May 2015.
3. Web site: Renault. Enguérand. Le Shaker, une fabrique à start-up, s'installe au cœur de Paris. Le Figaro. 13 May 2015. 2014-07-09.
4. Web site: Sigfox, the French IoT startup that had raised more than $300M, files for bankruptcy protection as it seeks a buyer. Techcrunch.com. 27 January 2022 . Techcrunch. 9 January 2023.
5. Web site: Sigfox's parent company UnaBiz raises another $25 million in Series B round extension. datacenterdynamics.com. 8 December 2022 . datacenterdynamics. 9 January 2023.
6. Web site: SG IoT firm UnaBiz appoints Sunseap co-founder to board .
7. Book: Giedre Dregvaite. Robertas Damasevicius. Information and Software Technologies: 22nd International Conference, ICIST 2016, Druskininkai, Lithuania, October 13-15, 2016, Proceedings. 30 October 2016. Springer. 978-3-319-46254-7. 665–.
8. Book: Khaldoun Al Agha. Guy Pujolle. Tara Ali Yahiya. Mobile and Wireless Networks. 17 August 2016. Wiley. 978-1-119-00755-5. 241–.
9. Web site: Our Story Sigfox. 2020. Sigfox. 2020-11-26.
10. Web site: News Desk . 2024-05-02 . UnaBiz reduces device energy consumption . 2025-02-21 . IOT Insider . en-GB.
11. Augustin. Aloÿs. Yi. Jiazi. Clausen. Thomas. Townsley. William Mark. 2016-09-09. Kim. Dongkyun. A Study of LoRa: Long Range & Low Power Networks for the Internet of Things. Sensors. 16. 9. 2–3. 10.3390/s16091466. 27618064. 5038744. 2016Senso..16.1466A. free.
12. Web site: UnaBiz puts Sigfox device library in public domain . 2025-02-10 . IoT M2M Council . en-US.