More and more devices are joining the Internet of Things. Wireless technology to connect remote battery-powered devices is now established. These low-power wide area networks (lpwan) can connect these types of devices.
But not all LPWANs are created equal. There are many comparable technologies that operate on both licensed and unlicensed parts of the spectrum. Although this choice is a good thing for product designers, careful consideration of these options is now crucial. With the right technology, LPWAN devices will be able to connect seamlessly and efficiently.
Low-power wide area network power supply technology
Traditional wireless technology is not suitable for connecting remote battery-powered devices such as sensors. As sensors become more and more common, the market needs more ways to connect these sensors; create value from these data in new ways.
In order to continue to develop smart home and smart retail technologies, as well as smart grids and industrial Internet of Things, we need to connect the following devices:
Remote: In places without traditional LTE coverage, or deep underground where the signal cannot penetrate far enough.
Battery-powered: The devices on this market are usually powered by a battery. More batteries increase their costs, and connection to the grid is not always possible.
Talk less: This type of device does not need to transmit large amounts of data.
Cheap: In order to realize a world of quality sensors, the technology must make it affordable.
Each requirement presents unique challenges to wireless design. This requires a small, compact device that is both rugged and durable, and can last for years with minimal battery power.
In theory, LPWAN technology can connect to any small battery-powered device for up to 10 years. This makes it ideal for remote sensors and other applications that require minimal data, even for applications that are located underground or deep indoors.
In the past 10 years, Sigfox, LoRa, narrowband Internet of Things and weightlessness technologies have been widely regarded as leading technologies, but there are still more competitive technologies that have emerged and established their positions.
Sigfox：
Range of 10-40 kilometers
Bandwidth 100 Hz
ISM band (unlicensed); 868 MHz in Europe, 915 MHz in North America, 433 MHz in Asia
Does not support authentication/encryption
Standardization and proprietary, cooperation standards with ETSI
Sigfox is the best solution for ultra-low data rate devices, and its primary task is to extend battery life. It operates completely independent of any existing network infrastructure, so the coverage is not completely universal yet—not yet.
LoRaWAN
Range of 5-20 kilometers
Bandwidth 250 kHz and 125 kHz
868 MHz in Europe, 915 MHz in North America, 433 MHz in Asia
Support authentication/encryption (AES 128b)
Standardized LoRa Alliance
LoRaWAN is another technology that uses the unlicensed ISM band. This is 868 MHz in Europe, 915 MHz and 433 MHz in North America and Asia. Therefore, it needs to be compared with Sigfox. However, LoRa uses narrowband signals over a wider bandwidth, which makes it less susceptible to interference.
weightlessness
Range of 2-10 kilometers
Bandwidth 12.5 kHz
Unlicensed sub-gHz frequency band
Authentication/Encryption AES-128/256
Standardized open standards
Weightlessness is another narrowband radio technology, which can realize uplink and downlink communication. One of the most attractive features of weightlessness is that it has 100% fully approved transmission. Weightlessness is an open standard for LPWAN technology, which enables long-distance, long battery life and ultra-low-cost IoT products to be deployed quickly and economically worldwide. There are currently two versions of weightlessness technology, weightlessness W and weightlessness N.
Narrowband Internet of Things
Range 1-10 kilometers
200 kHz bandwidth
Frequency License LTE Frequency
Authentication/Encryption LTE type encryption
Standardized 3GPP
NB IoT uses the licensed LTE spectrum. These standards have been approved by 3GPP, and the technology has been widely used. This technology is designed for large-scale distributed devices, such as sensors, which are completely battery-powered.
Use cases and technology choices
lpwan provides the opportunity to connect to devices that could not be connected before. Therefore, new and existing applications can be connected through these networks. However, choosing the right one is crucial.
Narrowband IoT performs best in the most "talkative" applications. For example, a smart grid monitor may be the best choice. They need to provide short-range real-time connections, and usually high-speed data transmission. They can even be powered by non-batteries. The deep penetration of the signal also enables devices located deep underground to achieve connectivity.
In situations where long battery life is required, Sigfox and LoRaWAN provide the most beneficial set of specifications. Take agricultural monitors and sensors as an example. They are usually located in remote areas. They will prioritize battery life over other characteristics. Data may not be communicated so frequently, and data throughput may be minimal. LTE coverage is not always guaranteed in these remote locations.
In a retail environment, LTE coverage is typical. For applications such as payment terminals, high-quality services are a necessary condition to ensure the completion of transactions. Safety is another key factor. This combination of requirements makes the NB-IoT a natural choice for technology.
Weightlessness technology is booming in ultra-low throughput applications, close to base stations; making it an ideal choice for industrial environments. Its low deployment cost makes it ideal for internal pallet tracking in factories and warehouses.