The rise of multiple LPWAN networking technologies has complicated the IoT world

There are multiple types of LPWAN networking technologies, each with a competing networking protocol that complicates the IoT world...

The number of connected devices has surged because of the networking technology specifically created for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, the so-called Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN). As the name suggests, LPWAN is a technology that requires very low power consumption, small data transfer, and low bandwidth. It can connect several private and public IoT devices to provide services to a wide range of users and promote the development of smart cities.

There are multiple types of LPWAN networking technologies, each with a competing networking protocol that complicates the IoT world; this is no longer a problem with IoT device usage scenarios, but involves end users and many Compatibility of emerging communication protocols. To make matters worse, it may turn a smart city into a network with multiple exclusive and isolated networks.

In view of recent industry news, several competing companies such as Sigfox plan to connect their networking technologies to multiple US cities including New York and Los Angeles by the end of 2016. The above issues are particularly relevant.

Due to the limited transmission range of LPWAN technology, the investment required for the construction of such networks is relatively small and requires little maintenance. As a major technology supplier, Sigfox has significant competition with many companies and industry alliances that support other IoT communication protocols; for example, Cisco and Huawei use LoRa and NB-IoT communication protocols respectively. The market has gained a lot of attention.

This is a large-scale emerging market that has attracted a lot of attention; according to research institute IDC, US investment in IoT-related products and services will reach US$232 billion by the end of 2016, and the growth rate for the next three years will be Can exceed 16%. Participants in the market, from product engineers to government authorities, want to know which communication protocol wins.

The reality is that the LPWAN market is still in the early stages of development, so it is still too early to answer the above questions; judging from some early signs, it seems that there will not be only one communication protocol in the IoT field.

Imagine that the mobile operating system is still in constant war. No one has been optimistic about Apple's iOS. It will become so popular now. After all, it is an independent and incompatible system; but the iPhone becomes almost ubiquitous overnight. And form a complete market around the device. But the topic of Android mobile phones is still continuing, and such products currently account for more than 80% of the entire smart phone market.

The same thing seems to happen in the IoT market, where there is still plenty of room for multiple competing communication protocols, and various devices can be combined with different communication protocols.

It is important to understand that not only one device will use LPWAN technology; those networks can be integrated into utilities, medical care, security, and other applications, involving a wide range of end devices and systems, from the simplest environmental sensors, Intelligent control devices, to mirrored systems.

Those networks need to be viewed in a model like the current mobile network, which should periodically perform performance evaluations to ensure their robustness and thus optimize the cell services that are performed on the network; those services include energy management, urban mobility (urban mobility) ), or waste monitoring.

However, the IoT network, whether it is layered on the mobile network of traditional carriers or independent, cannot be reviewed like today's cellular network; mobile operators usually observe closely from a mobile device on the network. The successful completion of the initiated data task and at what speed the task is completed. .

The IoT network is primarily a machine-to-machine communication that facilitates the delivery of lightweight data and does not necessarily require hive-level throughput; for such networks, it is more important to ensure that they have sufficient robustness to perform all tasks, as well as networks. The waiting time is an acceptable range for IoT applications that use the network.

What's more important in IoT is that data can be reliably transmitted when needed, rather than how fast; consumers complain that the download time is too long, but those sensors don't. But of course, the data transfer still has to be completed within the required time.

The development and extensive deployment of LPWAN has opened up a new world for the technology used by the public in daily life; however, the speed at which government departments invest in and implement IoT projects and enable field trials to become public services will still be self-established by the IoT industry. The direct impact of the speed of order. Sigfox has taken the lead in striding and recently announced the launch of the IoT module, which costs only $2. How will other vendors respond to the move? And let us wait and see!

Compilation: Judith Cheng

(Reference: IoT Networks Start to Sprout, by Paul Carter)