Internet of Things (IoT)

Bahrain was the first GCC country to issue standards for IoT connectivity and support the use of the frequency band for IoT (NB-IoT) systems within international mobile communications systems. It is also among a select few Middle Eastern countries to contribute to an International Telecommunication Union proposal for new working document to harmonise the use of the IMT spectrum for narrowband IoT applications. The Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) provided government entities with the frequency bands to contribute to the Kingdom’s Digital Transformation and support its Vision 2030 goals for smart cities, IoT and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications.

Cellular networks, technologies and platforms play a vital role in IoT and M2M communications network infrastructure in Bahrain. Accordingly, the Kingdom’s Wireless and Fibre networks were arranged to accommodate the use of 5G, which increases internet speeds and connectivity.

Several Bahraini government entities and private bodies use IoT technology in their work to support the economic growth of the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of Bahrain established the National Space Science Agency (NSSA) in 2018. NSSA's focus is on promoting space science technology and applications in Bahrain through community events, building capacity in the fields of satellite manufacturing, satellite tracking, control, and monitoring, earth observation, data and image processing and analysis.

The first Bahraini satellite is expected to be launched to the International Space Station during the third quarter of 2021. The satellite will be used to help implemented projects related to IoT (monitoring of gas emissions from factories), utilising AI technologies and their applications in the field of remote sensing.

APM Terminals Bahrain, the operator of Khalifa Bin Salman Port, launched the Lift portal, which allows customers to track and trace their goods, check the status of shipments and vessels and schedule deliveries round the clock. It optimises operations by giving customers real-time visibility into the status of the cargo in a container facility, enabling them to manage all aspects of the terminal process. Moreover, the integrated electronic portal, Marasi was created to facilitate client access to different port services.

In addition, the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture uses IoT to automate its irrigation system, which makes the process more efficient, and the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) relies on it for distribution automation, in which the collection, analysis and execution of data are automated.

The Economic Development Board (EDB) and Batelco launched the “Brinc Centre” – Batelco IoT Hub, which contributes to the Bahrain ecosystem by fostering the growth of IoT and entrepreneurship in the region.

Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) uses the latest ICT solutions at Bahrain International Airport, including cloud-based unified communications, Video Cloud, IoT and big data platforms. These new systems not only enhance operational efficiency and security but they also make the airport experience quicker and more comfortable for passengers. The advanced systems are designed to deliver real-time connectivity while meeting the demand for high volumes of data.