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A low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) or low-power wide-area (LPWA) network or low-power network (LPN) is a type of wireless telecommunication wide area network designed to allow long-range communications at a low bit rate among things (connected objects), such as sensors operated on a battery.^[1][2] The low power, low bit rate and intended use distinguish this type of network from a wireless WAN that is designed to connect users or businesses, and carry more data, using more power. The LPWAN data rate ranges from 0.3 kbit/s to 50 kbit/s per channel.^[3]

A LPWAN may be used to create a private wireless sensor network, but may also be a service or infrastructure offered by a third party, allowing the owners of sensors to deploy them in the field without investing in gateway technology.

Technology attributes

1. Long range: The operating range of LPWAN technology varies from a few kilometers in urban areas to over 10 km in rural settings. It can also enable effective data communication in previously infeasible indoor and underground locations.
2. Low power: Optimized for power consumption, LPWAN transceivers can run on small, inexpensive batteries for up to 20 years
3. Low cost: LPWAN's simplified, lightweight protocols reduce complexity in hardware design and lower device costs. Its long range combined with a star topology reduce expensive infrastructure requirements, and the use of license-free or licensed bands reduce network costs.

Platforms and technologies

There are a number of competing standards and vendors in the LPWAN space, the most prominent of which include^[4]:

• DASH7, a low latency, bi-directional firmware standard that operates over multiple LPWAN radio technologies including LoRa.

• Chirp spread spectrum based

• Sigfox, UNB-based technology and French company.^[5]

• LoRa is a proprietary, chirp spread spectrum (CSS) radio modulation technology for LPWAN used by LoRaWAN, Haystack Technologies, and Symphony Link.^[6][7]

• Weightless is an open standard, narrowband technology for LPWAN used by Ubiik
• Wize is an open and royalty free standard for LPWAN derived from the European Standard Wireless Mbus.^[8]

Ultra-narrow band

Ultra Narrowband (UNB), modulation technology used for LPWAN by various companies including:

• Sigfox, UNB-based technology and French company.^[9]
• Telensa^[10] A Cambridge-based company using UNB-based technology to connect and control streetlights and other city infrastructure.
• Nwave,^[11] proprietary technology developed in cooperation with MIT. Its first release without error correcting codes also forms the basis of the Weightless-N open protocol.^[12]
• Weightless, a set of communication standards from the Weightless SIG.^[13]
• NB-Fi Protocol, developed by WAVIoT company.^[14]

Telegram splitting

Telegram splitting is a standardized LPWAN technology in the license-free spectrum.

• MIOTY, telegram-splitting technology standardized by ETSI (TS 103 357).

Others

• DASH7 Mode 2 development framework for low power wireless networks, by Haystack Technologies.^[15] Runs over many wireless radio standards like LoRa, LTE, 802.15.4g, and others.
• LTE Advanced for Machine Type Communications (LTE-M), an evolution of LTE communications for connected things by 3GPP.^[16]
• MySensors, DIY Home Automation framework supporting different radios including LoRa.
• NarrowBand IoT (NB-IOT), standardization effort by 3GPP for a LPWAN used in cellular networks,^[17] that evolved from Huawei's NB-CIoT effort.^[18]
• Random phase multiple access (RPMA) from Ingenu,^[19] formerly known as On-Ramp Wireless, is based on a variation of CDMA technology for cellular phones, but is purpose-built to use unlicensed 2.4GHz spectrum.
• Taggle Byron. A Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) technology from Taggle Systems in Australia. "How Taggle is spreading LPWAN across Australia"

See also

• Internet of things
• QRP operation
• Slowfeld
• Through-the-earth mine communications

References