Development of Narrow Band Internet of Things Testbed for Proximity Services

Syed Talib Abbas Jafri; Syeda Rabia Amin; Fariha  Amanat; Tahniyat  Aslam; Sundus Ali; Irfan Ahmed; Muhammad Imran Aslam

Authors

Syed Talib Abbas Jafri Department of Physics, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
Syeda Rabia Amin Department of Physics, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
Fariha Amanat Department of Physics, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
Tahniyat Aslam Department of Electronic Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
Sundus Ali Department of Telecommunications Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
Irfan Ahmed Department of Physics, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
Muhammad Imran Aslam Department of Telecommunications Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

Keywords:

Internet of Things (IoT), Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), Proximity Services (ProSe), Network Relay, Cellular IoT (C-IoT).

Abstract

In this paper, we present the results of this deployment, indicating that the NB-IoT device successfully connects and communicates with the eNodeB. Session logs show that the EPC effectively initiates the session and authenticates the user equipment (UE). Additionally, the eNodeB establishes a successful connection with the UE based on the parameters defined by the EPC. Wireshark traces demonstrate that the UE can transmit data to the server via an internet connection, with an average latency of 40 ms. Through this work, we explore the benefits of proximity services for NB-IoT networks, providing a valuable platform for experimental testing and prototyping. With the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT), Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) has emerged to provide IoT connectivity over existing cellular networks, utilizing limited resources while facing an increased risk of outages at the cell edge. In this work, we developed a testbed for NB-IoT systems to implement the innovative idea of enabling proximity services. This allows devices beyond the coverage area of the eNodeB to transmit their data using a network relay. The testbed is constructed with a software-defined radio functioning as the eNodeB, which wirelessly connects to the NB-IoT node at the front end and to the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) at the back end. The EPC is implemented on a Linux machine using open-source software, while the NB-IoT node is realized with commercially available devices.

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