Telstra had 3.48 million Internet of Things (IoT) services in operation in the half year to December 2019, it reported today in its half year financial results.

That’s a 23 percent increase in the number of Telstra IoT services in operation since the same period a year earlier. And it’s 350,000 more Telstra IoT services than there was in operation in the half year to June 2019.

Telstra’s half-year IoT revenue also increased to $102 million for the half year ending December 2019. That’s up from $99 million the same period a year earlier, but down from $104 million in the half year to June 2019.

The increase in IoT services would have been helped by Telstra’s expansion of its narrowband-IoT network during the recent half year. That coverage increased from more than 3.5 million to nearly 4 million square kilometres.

Telstra’s CatM1 IoT coverage is around 3 million square kilometres, CEO Andrew Penn stated.

Penn also pointed to the launch of Telstra’s consumer Locator Cat-M1 Tag and its investment in IoT solutions for water utilities. Water was a key focus for Telstra’s IoT business in 2019 – the network and technology provider worked with Sydney Water, Watercorp, and Busselton Water on IoT projects.

Telstra also gained international recognition in late 2019 when it became a Global IoT Awards winner for its Track and Monitor product.