can eliminate single vendor lock-in, providing network builders with a much wider choice of devices for their deployments. Proprietary systems are no longer sufficiently flexible or cost-efficient as solutions based on open standards, and are already losing relevancy in today’s market. Each manufacturer that certifies their products are helping to develop a global ecosystem of standards-based products, reducing risk of stranded assets within a network.

Certification also ensures that devices will not only work together effortlessly, but also securely. Some programs will ensure devices include a digital certificate to authenticate entry into a mesh network, which significantly reduces vulnerabilities to potential cyber security threats. Considering that the utilities industry experienced an average of 1,339 attacks per week in the third quarter of 2024 alone, the use of certified devices can reassure users that their networks remain secure and resilient.

Supporting Urban Development

A recent City of London initiative has demonstrated the importance of mesh networks and interoperable devices. The city itself remains a centre of commerce and one of the largest financial hubs in the world, yet it’s medieval street pattern and tall buildings have created large “conflict areas” where carrying signals is a challenge. Turning to street lighting was seen as a solution to this problem, yet most of the lighting stock was found to be reaching obsolescence.

As such, a project was planned to replace these old units, converting them into IoT canopies. This initiative embraced new technologies to reduce maintenance costs and energy consumption, and allowed for the monitoring of environmental elements. The use of LEDs and a central management system also allowed the city to effectively light its historic assets through the tunable settings of digital lighting more suitable than traditional analog lights.

Through the Wi-SUN FAN mesh network and its open nature, over 12,000 lights have now been deployed within the city since 2020. Supported by 10 gateways which use the protocol’s self-forming and self-healing functions to continually add devices to the network, the large-scale network continues to grow and enable new and emerging technologies to the benefit of London’s residents and visitors.

Paving the Way for Game Changing Applications

To support the use of modern IoT technologies, wireless networks must be secure, fast, scalable and energy efficient. Organizations are already using these networks for applications that would have seemed like science fiction a mere decade ago, but this pace of innovation means they need protocols that are future-proof.

Wireless mesh networks have continually proven themselves for years in a range of harsh and remote environments across the globe. Capable of reliably connecting tens of millions of end points, the use of an IoT mesh network based on open standards can help achieve the ubiquity and scalability essential to support large-scale projects for utilities, smart cities and beyond. Certification programs for these networks are available for a wide range of consumer, enterprises, and other operator-specific products like smart meter devices. By certifying devices, manufacturers are playing their part to ensure greater IoT interoperability and reliability, and drive a more sustainable connected future for all.