Linough Inc.

A Connected Key for Simplified Real Estate Viewings

While real estate portals make it easy for customers to browse listings online, the final step of physically visiting a property often remained the biggest hurdle. Buyers and renters still needed to coordinate with agents, limiting flexibility and adding unnecessary friction. In a fast-paced property market, this scheduling complexity could mean missed opportunities or extended vacancy periods.

For sellers and agents, organizing tours also consumed significant resources. Staff often needed to travel just to unlock doors, even for quick visits. With multiple parties interested in a single property, availability often became the bottleneck between listing and closing. A more efficient and customer-friendly solution was clearly needed.

Linough recognized that improving the viewing experience represented the single greatest opportunity for innovation in real estate. By making access as seamless as browsing an online listing, the company could revolutionize both customer convenience and agent productivity.

"Soracom is an ideal application for Smart Viewing and pay-as-you-go for data communication fit our needs perfectly. I also like the flexibility of the contract where I can subscribe to one SIM for one day. When an IoT system encounters an issue, it can be difficult to identify the cause between the cloud, the connection, and the device. In our case, we can check the communication status of each individual SIM with Soracom’s user console. I also appreciate their kind and courteous support team, seminars and hands-ons demos."

Mr Shiina

Chief Web Programmer

Linough

Smart Viewing with IoT Locks and Reservation System

Linough responded with Smart Viewing, an IoT-enabled system designed specifically for real estate. At its core is a smart lock that attaches to new or existing property doors, paired with a lightweight tablet gateway that communicates lock commands. Customers reserve their viewing time online, then receive a unique URL that acts as a digital key.

At the scheduled time, the customer can open or close the property door directly from their device, whether smartphone, computer, or even feature phone. For users without modern devices, the system supports voice-triggered commands, ensuring inclusive accessibility. By removing the need for a dedicated app, Smart Viewing reduces setup friction for customers while allowing seamless property access.

For real estate agencies, this meant that staff no longer needed to attend every property visit. Unmanned tours became possible, opening the door (literally) to flexible self-service access. With Smart Viewing, potential buyers could experience properties on their own schedule while agents could focus on higher-value interactions.

Why Soracom

For Smart Viewing to work, Linough needed a connectivity solution that was lightweight, secure, and cost-efficient. Real estate properties are often vacant and may lack Internet infrastructure, making cellular IoT the ideal solution. Because door unlock commands require only a few kilobytes of data, Soracom Air’s pay-as-you-go model fit perfectly, ensuring costs scale precisely with usage.

As Linough’s Chief Web Programmer Mr. Shiina explained, “Soracom is an ideal application for Smart Viewing and pay-as-you-go for data communication fit our needs perfectly. I also like the flexibility of the contract where I can subscribe to one SIM for one day.” This flexibility allowed Linough to prototype quickly and scale deployments without carrying large SIM inventories.

In addition, Soracom’s User Console made it easy to monitor the communication status of individual SIMs, speeding troubleshooting and reducing operational overhead. For deployments requiring extra security, Linough also implemented Soracom Canal, creating private network connections that protect data traffic and reinforce trust. Combined with Soracom APIs for automation, this approach gave Linough confidence in both scale and security.

Future Plans: Smart Access Beyond Real Estate

The success of Smart Viewing earned Linough a prestigious Good Design Award, validating its innovative approach to access management. The company quickly began receiving inquiries about applying the same technology to other use cases, from office meeting rooms to shared spaces.

This led to the launch of a “smart meeting room” service, extending Linough’s access innovation beyond real estate and into broader smart building management. By leveraging the same combination of IoT locks, cloud-based management, and Soracom connectivity, Linough is creating a flexible platform for space access of all types.

Looking ahead, Linough envisions a world where any space can be managed more efficiently through IoT access control. From apartments and offices to hotels and shared facilities, the ability to grant, track, and manage access remotely represents a new standard for convenience and efficiency. With Soracom as a partner, Linough is well positioned to continue unlocking the potential of smart spaces worldwide.