AT&T and Qualcomm connect Mobike

Smart bike-sharing service Mobike has announced that it plans to use Internet of Things (IoT) solutions from AT&T and Qualcomm Technologies to support its station-free bike scheme in the US.

According to Mobike, AT&T’s 4G LTE connectivity combined with Qualcomm Technologies’ LTE IoT modems and its smartphone app will let users easily locate, unlock, and securely pay for the nearest bike.

Since the entire fleet is GPS-enabled, Mobike said it can get bikes to the locations where they are needed most. The AT&T network will let Mobike capture detailed usage data from every bike, which is needed for this dynamic management.

During high demand, Mobike can offer app users incentives to move bikes from more remote locations to more populous areas of the city. This data can help with smart bike fleet distribution and city planners’ smart urban transportation infrastructure.

The bikes also incorporate smart locks. This is enabled by the Qualcomm MDM9206 global multimode LTE IoT modem which supports extended battery life, deeper coverage for connectivity in challenging conditions and mobile IoT applications.

LTE IoT connectivity and the integrated GNSS position-location capability in the modem help Mobike customers identify an available bike, quickly unlock the smart lock and assist with real-time management. All while providing continuous monitoring of the bike’s status.

“Mobike is the only true smart bike platform that leverages proprietary smart locks with built-in GPS and IoT technology to create a sophisticated and highly adaptable solution to the ‘last mile’ transport challenge in one of the world’s largest fleet of mobile IoT devices,” said Joe Xia, founder and CTO, Mobike.

“Our solution depends on advanced connectivity capabilities such as those of Qualcomm’s MDM9206 global multimode LTE modem, combined with the robust support of AT&T’s network. We are pleased to have support from mobile communications industry leaders like AT&T and Qualcomm Technologies, who are helping Mobike provide the convenient and dependable user experience that is our hallmark.”

“By providing IoT connectivity for Mobike, we’re advancing both the sharing economy and the future of smart cities in a meaningful way,” said Chris Penrose, president, Internet of Things Solutions, AT&T.

“This relationship is allowing us see some of the tangible benefits of how IoT can help address significant social and environmental challenges. In turn, using IoT for good to create lasting benefits for our world.”

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