Low-power wide-area network
type of wireless telecommunication wide area network
A low-power, wide-area network (LPWAN or LPWA network) is a type of wireless telecommunication wide area network designed to allow long-range communication at a low bit rate between IoT devices, such as sensors operated on a battery.
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.
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.
Attributes
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.
Power: LPWAN manufacturers claim years to decades of usable life from built-in batteries, but real-world application tests have not confirmed this.
Platforms and technologies
Some competing standards and vendors for LPWAN space include:
DASH7, a low latency, bi-directional firmware standard that operates over multiple LPWAN radio technologies including LoRa.
Wize is an open and royalty-free standard for LPWAN derived from the European Standard Wireless Mbus.
Chirp spread spectrum (CSS) based devices.
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