How cellular LPWA enables the massification of IoT

How cellular LPWA enables the massification of IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is often associated with ultra-fast, data-intensive applications like autonomous driving, augmented reality or remote surgery.

However, there are millions of IoT devices all around us providing equally essential information and services for businesses and our everyday life.

From smart meters and underground water leak detectors to crop and soil sensors and inventory monitors – these devices transmit small amounts of information, but the data is vital and, in many cases, must be transmitted from remote and difficult-to-reach locations.

This has resulted in the development of a different type of IoT connectivity known as LPWA or low-power wide-area technology.

What is LPWA?

LPWA communications were designed to utilise the cellular network but in a way that allows these devices to transmit small packets of data with very little energy, whilst having the signal strength to penetrate deep underground or in buildings.

Why cellular?

Leading the way for LPWA are Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) and Long-Term Evolution for Machine Type Communication (LTE-M) – both these technologies use the cellular network for scale, coverage and security, allowing them to be deployed wherever the cellular network has been enabled. At Vodafone, we have access to over 130 LPWA networks worldwide.

NB-IoT vs LTE-M

NB-IoT

NB-IoT is highly suitable for stationary IoT devices that need to send small data packets from indoor or subterranean locations. The Coverage Enhancement feature of NB-IoT guarantees reliable communication in areas with weak signals, such as deep indoors or distant from the base station, by providing a 20 dB gain over traditional 4G. The term ‘dB’ or decibel is a logarithmic unit used to measure power ratios, where 10 dB represents a tenfold increase, and 20 dB signifies a hundredfold increase in sensitivity. Additionally, NB-IoT is exceptionally energy-efficient, allowing battery-powered devices to last many years, making it perfect for hard-to-reach devices, such smart meters, environmental sensors, water leak detection systems and underground parking lots.

LTE-M

LTE-M is intended for both stationary and mobile IoT devices and can handle more data transmission than NB-IoT devices (c.20MB/month per SIM, compared to c.5MB with NB-IoT). However, this advantage comes with a trade-off in battery life and link budget, with a ~6dB deficit that limits its ability to transmit data from deep underground locations. Its applications include retail point-of-sale terminals, wearable devices, user-based insurance, fleet tracking, and electric vehicle charging.

Choose the right technology for the job

Connecting devices with NB-IoT or LTE-M has many advantages, but these LPWA technologies are not suitable for applications requiring real-time control where fast response times and the transmission of large amounts of data are essential.

This is because NB-IoT and LTE-M prioritise power efficiency over speed with messages often taking seconds to reach their destination. LPWA is designed for a very specific subset of IoT applications that are non-time critical, work on period data capture, low data packets, and long asset lifetime.

Getting LPWA design right isn’t just a technical exercise – it’s the difference between a scalable and reliable deployment verses a fleet of failing devices. Maximising LPWA performance relies on the best network and designing the right device for that network – both of which Vodafone IoT supports businesses of all sizes with.

And if you’re still not sure, Vodafone IoT’s roaming SIM is probably your best choice because it gives access to multiple technologies and networks in over 180 countries, eliminating coverage issues and futureproofing all your IoT deployments.

Why Vodafone

Vodafone IoT has a large global footprint of over 130 networks for accessing LPWA connectivity. Already an industry-recognised leader in IoT, we are ideally placed to help businesses choose and implement the right cellular technology for your use case.

For more information, see Vodafone Business LPWA technologies.