Rotterdam, July 21, 2016 – Buying through online shops is more popular than ever, but unfortunately package delivery personnel are often met with closed doors. Parcer developed a solution: a smart Internet-connected mailbox in which couriers can safely deliver their packages. Internet connectivity is now provided by Aerea via the SIGFOX IoT network.
Parcer is a connected mailbox with a package container that can be placed on a small column at the door, or in the garden. The owner can use a keychain with an NFC chip to open the box. Couriers can deliver their packages with a unique access code that is created by the owner of the box and added to the shipping label of his/her order. With this method, webshops and couriers don’t need extra training or equipment to deliver to a Parcer.
Hans van Nikkelen Kuijper, one of the founders of Parcer, explains why his company chose the Aerea SIGFOX network: “We searched for the most accessible way to connect the Parcer to the Internet. The SIGFOX network that Aerea provided, was the most suitable option for us because of the national network coverage and ease of use. The Parcer does not need a separate power supply and is powered by a battery that lasts about two years. The SIGFOX network has coverage throughout the Netherlands, but can also be used at no extra cost in other countries. We can, therefore, sell the Parcer without problems elsewhere on the European market.”
Low-energy, low-cost
Parcer is a partner of Aerea, the company that operates the SIGFOX IoT (Internet of Things) in the Netherlands. Nicholas van Hoey Smith, CEO of Aerea “We work closely with companies that want to bring IoT related services to the market. We help them with the development of IoT devices, but also advise them on business development. The Parcer mailbox is an excellent example of how you can put a product on the market extremely quickly using the Internet of Things. There is no installation, configuration or complicated network integration necessary. It just works.”
Currently, in the Netherlands, there are several pilots on the SIGFOX network, including smart water meters, public lighting and underground trash containers. The network is best suited for applications with extremely low energy consumption and where large numbers of devices will be used. Van Hoey Smith: “Aerea is specifically meant to connect large numbers of simple IoT devices to the Internet. The SIGFOX hardware and network access are both very low cost, making it interesting for partners to choose Aerea.”
Future in every home
Parcer started with the delivery of the first 100 devices to customers in June this year. “The first reactions are very good,” says Van Nikkelen Kuijper. “Our customers are positive about the ease of use Parcer provides and the fact that it works with any merchant and carrier. Currently we are developing several new models and we will soon offer our product in other European countries where the SIGFOX network is available. We expect that online mailboxes like Parcer will become very popular in the next few years. I am convinced that in five years the product that we offer today will be a standard, built-in feature in new-built homes.”
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About Aerea
Aerea is a provider of connectivity services for the Internet of Things (IoT). The company in the Netherlands operates a network based on SIGFOX technology, Low Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN), with high capacity. This makes it suitable for applications such as smart meters, tracking of goods, and intelligent sensors in buildings and cities. Companies wishing to implement Internet-connected objects on a large scale and pursue operational excellence, take advantage of the low rates and long battery life. Further, Aerea provides Machine-to-Machine (M2M) connectivity solutions for clients such as insurance companies, security companies, governments and utilities. For more information visit: www.aerea.nl.
