California Network Provider, IoT Connectivity Firm Team Up for AgTech Solutions

Broadband company Cal.net and wireless technologies provider Emergent have partnered to bring IoT solutions to farms in central California and the Midwest via LoRaWAN networks. This collaboration aims to provide cloud-based access to sensor data and automate services like watering in remote locations.

The first installation went live this summer at Terranova Ranch in Helm, CA, automating irrigation and water management for 650 acres of tomatoes. In June, Cal.net and Emergent deployed a network of sensors for scheduled watering, using wireless valves, actuators, and moisture sensors.

The companies are in talks with other farmers in California’s Central Valley to expand the use of IoT connectivity for intelligent farming. They have also introduced the solution in northwest Ohio and Indiana, with plans to extend it to rural areas nationwide.

Terranova Ranch has previously used Cal.net’s services, which include deploying cellular towers in rural areas to provide Internet, TV, and phone service. Cal.net’s coverage spans from north of Red Bluff to south of Bakersfield and across the Central Valley.

Emergent was chosen for its LoRaWAN-based IoT network, according to Mike Roudi, CEO of Emergent Connext. Cal.net acts as the system integrator, interfacing with customers and delivering the complete solution using Emergent’s network.