LPWAN (Low-Power Wide-Area Network) is a type of wireless network technology that allows low-power devices to communicate over long distances at low bit rates. LPWAN is designed for IoT (Internet of Things) and M2M (machine-to-machine) applications that require low-cost, low-maintenance, and long-lasting connectivity.
Some examples of LPWAN technologies are:
• LoRaWAN: A protocol that uses the LoRa modulation technique to provide long-range and low-power communication. LoRaWAN operates in the unlicensed spectrum and supports bidirectional communication, encryption, and adaptive data rate.
• Sigfox: A protocol that uses ultra-narrowband modulation to provide low-power and low-cost communication. Sigfox operates in the unlicensed spectrum and supports unidirectional or bidirectional communication, depending on the device class.
• NB-IoT: A protocol that uses narrowband modulation to provide low-power and wide-coverage communication. NB-IoT operates in the licensed spectrum and supports bidirectional communication, encryption, and quality of service.
Some of the practical use-cases of LPWAN are:
• Smart agriculture: LPWAN can be used to monitor soil moisture, temperature, humidity, and other environmental parameters that affect crop growth and yield. LPWAN sensors can also be used to control irrigation, fertilization, and pest management systems remotely.
• Smart city: LPWAN can be used to collect data from various urban infrastructures, such as street lights, parking meters, traffic lights, waste bins, and air quality sensors. LPWAN can also enable smart services, such as smart metering, smart lighting, smart parking, and smart waste management.
• Smart health: LPWAN can be used to track the location and status of patients, medical staff, and equipment in hospitals and clinics. LPWAN can also enable remote patient monitoring, telemedicine, and wearable devices that measure vital signs and activity levels.
• Smart industry: LPWAN can be used to optimize industrial processes, such as production, logistics, maintenance, and quality control. LPWAN can also enable asset tracking, inventory management, machine-to-machine communication, and predictive analytics.