Local IoT startup Thinxtra has launched a new partnership program to enable Australian local councils to equip themselves with Internet of Things technologies.

The company is investing $5 million into the program, which will include free installation, free development kits for incubators and free connectivity for smart council application developments to the global Sigfox IoT network, of which Thinxtra is the Australian provider.

Thinxtra expects the networks will be used for a multitude of smart city applications, such as infrastructure monitoring, waste management, asset tracking and environmental monitoring.

Councils will also be encouraged to enable educational and community initiatives using the network.

Coffs Harbour has recently joined forces with Thinxtra to receive free coverage as part of the scheme. This deployment was conducted in collaboration with Schneider Electric, who will assist the council in bringing IoT solutions to the area.

The network took less than a week to install, according to Thinxtra.

Loic Barancourt, Thinxtra’s CEO said in a statement: “Coffs Harbour, being a centre of strategic growth and having a burgeoning business and innovation centre, was a perfect choice for us to demonstrate how IoT can help boost regional economy and business.”

Urban regions continue to be the benefactors of local companies bringing IoT connectivity to their cities.

Local company Meshed has also been deploying freely accessible IoT network connectivity to The Things Network’s low-power wide-area network (LoRaWAN) IoT network, with the most recent deployment occurring in Brisbane in conjunction with the Queensland University of Technology.

This followed successful deployments in Sydney’s CBD and in Wollongong.