At Vodafone, the project is running under the name "Machine Network". In fact, it is a Narrowband IoT standard data transmission network, also known as LTE Cat MB1 or NB-IoT. It operates in a band that is only 180 kHz wide and is located on an LTE carrier or in the protective band between uplink and downlink. The transmission rate is correspondingly low, just 250 kbit/s. The strength of the network lies in high availability, low energy consumption and high building throughput – i.e., reception even through the walls of houses. Narrowband-IoT is specifically designed for data exchange in the context of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things. Possible applications include the tracking of containers as well as the monitoring of electricity meters.

Vodafone has been working on expanding its IoT network since March 2018 . Among its first customers are the Deutsche Bahn, which uses it to manage workspaces at its various sites, and Panasonic, which intends to connect its smart home applications. For small businesses, an IoT tracker is available, with which the businesses can manage the various devices and objects through a standard interface.