A smart meter like this would be able to run for 10 years connected to a 4G network if equipped with a new chipset from Israeli company Altair Semiconductor. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – Israeli company Altair Semiconductor says that it has developed the capability for small electric devices to connect better to fourth generation (4G) mobile networks. The new technology could impact such devices as electricity meters or security alarms.

Currently the batteries of devices that use 4G networks, which are known as LTE, tend to run out quickly. According to Altair, a new chipset the company has designed makes sure that data flows with as much as 10 time less power and half the cost of using current LTE technology.

“We’re talking about repositioning LTE to serve down to the level of street light sensors, smart home gateways, vehicle telematics,” Eran Eshed, co-founder and vice president of marketing, told Reuters.

Eshed added that a smart meter can run for as long as 10 years if it is equipped with this chipset, and wearable devices would be able to last for days before the battery runs out. The chipset is currently being presented to potential customers.