Case Study
7th October 2025
Sunderland City Council, in partnership with Boldyn Networks (via a joint venture), has deployed a city-wide LoRaWAN network for IoT applications. The network features 60 gateways using omni-directional antennas, covering approximately 153 sq km, operating at a frequency of 868 MHz and utilising MNO LTE Backhaul, which are designed to support a broad range of low-power sensor use cases, including air quality, traffic, energy usage, flood management, smart waste, assistive living technologies, and more.
Sunderland’s implementation of LoRaWAN is a component of a broader “network of networks”, which integrates public and private Wi-Fi, 5G, and other connectivity layers to support a broad range of digital solutions. This infrastructure directly supports Sunderland’s strategic vision to be a dynamic, healthy and vibrant smart city, and create a connected, international city with opportunities for all.
The network is complemented by a centralised smart city data platform, where data is analysed and used to optimise city services, reduce costs, and improve the quality of life for residents. The transmission of data across the Sunderland networked sensor landscape is transformational in providing near real-time views of the city and allowing the council to measure and improve city performance, whilst delivering services more efficiently.
Previously, The Things Network (TTN) local community in Sunderland had a Community-Hosted Gateway hosted at FabLab Sunderland, but this was taken offline when FabLab closed in mid-July 2024. At present, there’s no publicly accessible TTN gateway in Sunderland.
Our LoRaWAN deployment isn’t about connectivity for its own sake; it’s an element of a smart city strategy which is delivering tangible benefits for residents, businesses and visitors to Sunderland, and making the city a safer, cleaner, and more resilient place to live and work.
October 2021: Sunderland City Council awarded a 20-year contract to BAI Communications (now Boldyn Networks) to design, build, and operate a city-wide digital infrastructure, including a LoRaWAN network and work in partnership to develop the UK’ smartest city and a global centre of excellence.
Summer 2022: The LoRaWAN network was scheduled for delivery and rollout across the city.
By September 2023: The network was fully operational and actively supporting a wide variety of smart city use cases, from smart bins and flood monitoring to assistive technologies in homes.
A safety-focused pilot launched in September 2024, where sensors installed in lifebuoy holders detect when a lifebuoy has been removed. The system sends instant alerts to Local Services via a mobile app, significantly improving response times and reducing reliance on manual, paper-based checks.
Deployed in mid-2023, this pilot uses rainfall sensors (“Rain Buckets”) connected via the LoRaWAN network to provide real-time reporting on rainfall. These insights help the city better understand flood risks and make more efficient operational decisions as well as reducing staff hours, where previously teams had to manually download data.
Kicked off in February–March 2025, the council launched a year-long pilot across 21 social housing properties, with two sensor technologies being tested:
These monitor indoor temperature and humidity to detect early signs of mould and damp, aiming for healthier indoor environments, potentially preventing moisture-related damage to housing stock and avoiding costly repeat inspections.
LoRaWAN enabled IoT flush valves and temperature probes were piloted in Sunderland in early 2024 to improve legionella safety in council buildings. The sensors, tested at Glebe Football Club and Seaburn Camp, replaced manual site visits with remote monitoring via a dashboard.
The pilot cut costs, saved staff time, reduced errors, and improved Health & Safety compliance, the positive results has emboldened the council to approach further sites with the technology including schools.
A pilot of 5 vehicle activated signs (VAS) connected to the LoRaWAN network is being conducted to evaluate the potential of managing the VAS network remotely. The current process to download the data is a resource intensive process and occurs at infrequent batches depending on officer availability.
By utilising the LoRaWAN network we can increase the frequency of the data collected whilst removing the need for physical visits to download the data. Trialling this pilot on the LoRaWAN network also means we could reduce costs for other solutions based on 4/5G sim cards.
Sunderland’s LoRaWAN network isn’t standing still; it’s increasingly interwoven into the city’s smart infrastructure strategy:
Visit our Networks and Solutions page to find out more about our LoRaWAN network.