A detecting device for detecting a physical quantity includes: a detector, configured to detect the physical quantity and to output data representing the physical quantity; a memory, configured to store a communications profile of the detecting device, wherein the communications profile defines a predetermined transmission time for the transmission of the data, wherein the predetermined transmission time is assigned to the detecting device; and a communications interface, configured to transmit the data to a predetermined target network address at the predetermined transmission time via a communications network. The communications interface is further configured to receive a broadcast signal from a server entity via the communications network, wherein the broadcast signal comprises a further communications profile assigned to the detecting device for modifying the communications profile of the detecting device.