Using LPWAN In Consumer or Medical Devices

Understanding The Value That Low Power Wide Area Network Technology Can Bring To Your Medical Or Consumer Device

With predictions for IoT-enabled devices to reach over 40 billion by 2020, it becomes critical to better understand the choices of connectivity solutions available currently. With such numbers it is evident that Low Power Wide Area Networks (LOWAN) are becoming a major enabling technology in the IoT space.

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Consumer applications involving health monitoring would benefit from having an alternative to cellular phones/networks for their wide-area connectivity. Additionally, civic infrastructure systems such as traffic control, parking, utilities monitoring and distribution control, and environmental monitoring would also benefit from LPWAN.


LPWAN have many desirable attributes such as: roaming, penetration, short message handling, bidirectional communication, secure communications, and higher level services. As with any technology, there are trade-offs associated with the various options.


There are several major alternatives currently available for low-power, wide-area wireless networking for IoT applications. The major three alternatives are SigFox, LoRaWAN, and LTE-Cat M.


SigFox is an Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) LPWAN solution from a French-based low power wireless developer (www.sigfox.com). SigFox offers a comprehensive end-to-end system from a certified modem up to a web-based user-configured application for forwarding device messages to the customer’s IT system. Developers can either license the technology from SigFox or acquire a modem from a certified manufacturer to integrate into their IoT end node device design. SigFox servers manage the end-node devices and make data traffic and information available to the user via a web-based API. For security, SigFox uses frequency hopping to avoid message interception and anti-replay mechanisms in their servers to avoid replay attacks. The content and format of transmitted data is user-defined and transparent to the SigFox system, with only the user knowing how to interpret their particular device information.


LoraWAN is the Low Range Wide Area Network solution from LoRa Alliance (https://www.lora-alliance.org/) – an organization of companies dedicated to standardizing LPWANs. LoraWAN allows for bidirectional communication, mobility and localization services through seamless interoperability in IoT environments without the need for complex local installations. LPWAN architecture is structured with gateways serving as a transparent bridge between end node devices and network servers. The wireless hop between end nodes and gateway use a proprietary chirp speed spectrum radio scheme from Semtech and its licensees. The network structure allows for three classes of end-node devices: Class A (bidirectional – uplink transmission followed by two downlink receive windows). Class B have additional scheduled downlink windows. Class C devices have nearly continuous open receive windows. The radio scheme allows the network server to manage the data rate for each connected device via an adaptive rate algorithm ensuring optimal system performance under local radio conditions. LoRa connections allow a tradeoff between payload and range. LoRaWAN security is achieved by using a unique network, application, and device keys for encrypting data at different OSI levels.


LTE-Cat M (LTE-M) is a standard for Hi Speed Wireless Communication. It is for operation on LTE wireless Networks. This standard allows cellular operators to compete with the new entrants on a level playing field of range, battery life, and costs. It includes power saving measures, lower cost than cellular modems and is more suitable for embedded and low power applications than traditional 2G, 3G, 4G-LTE. This standard is continuously evolving.


At the forefront of the LPWAN evolution, Garrett Technologies is your value-added partner in navigating the rapidly developing LPWAN technologies, and designing, developing, and deploying optimal solutions for your particular applications.