LPWAN is the most concrete realization of the Internet of Things for many years after the Internet of Things was talked about.As academics do not overly complicate requirements for video, data transmission, instant messaging, etc., scholars are optimistic about the growth of the number of IoT devices and predict that the number of networked devices will be between The cumulative 28 billion in 2021, of which 15 billion is the Internet of Things devices.In the face of this trend, the industry is also a wave of rising enthusiasm, hoping to quickly capture the business opportunities.
The field of wireless communications has developed quite rapidly for two decades, from the advent of mobile phones to the fifth generation standard now being discussed, and before the official launch of 5G, LPWAN provides the impetus for the industry to move forward. As LPWAN related technology is not very challenging, Many low-power and long-haul technologies are coming in. According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, there will be more than 4 billion IoT devices capable of LPWAN in 2023.
At present, LPWAN technologies which are attracting attention are LoRa, Sigfox and NB-IoT, which can be broadly classified into four major fields: smart meter reading system, parking management, asset tracking and environmental monitoring. Table 1 lists several cases of IoT related applications using LPWAN technology in the world.
LoRa technology belongs to the Unlicense Band with data transmission below 1 GHz Based on linear Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) spread spectrum modulation, terminals of different spread sequences do not interfere with one another at the same frequency Application scenarios change and the working mode of the terminal device can be adjusted to three different transmission modes as follows: Class A, Class B and Class C to meet different application requirements.
The Sigfox technology is also unlicensed band, the lowest transfer rate of only 100bits / s, each device can only send a maximum of 140 messages per day, and each message payload (Payload) up to 12bytes. As long as the device using Sigfox Radio Protocol, In the right frequency signal, the base station will receive its own message, the device (TX) and the base station (RX) without any communication between.
On the other hand, the NB-IoT technology belongs to the license band and greatly improves the online collision problem caused by the Internet of Things technology LPWAN under a large number of layouts. The operation modes can be divided into three types, the first is the NB-IoT Carrier is independent of the original LTE operating frequency band (Stand-Alone Mode), the second is the Guard-Band Mode that inserts NB-IoT into the guard band between the original LTE carriers, and the third It is to cut down the carrier frequency band (In-Band Mode) for NB-IoT operation in the LTE carrier used by the operator.
Networking technology challenges
LoRa, Sigfox and NB-IoT each have their own advantages. The following is a description of the current status of the technology and explores the developmental challenges LoRa poses for these technological advantages.
LoRa fanfares
LoRa is the industry's most supported LPWAN technology and is led by IBM and Cisco to form the LoRa Alliance. Although vendors in all fields in the alliance have different types, LoRa has the common goal of being the leading vendor in the Internet of Things era. Since its establishment, membership has grown rapidly, has reached 460. LoRaWAN especially by telecom operators to support, South Korea SK Telecom, France Orange, China ZTE Telecom, etc., and Taiwan's Asia Pacific Telecom is also the Hon Hai Group, with the support of resources, the establishment of rich Hong network into the LoRaWAN field.Now has more than 120 cities have network operation, and Fu Hong network in Taipei and Taipei, Taipei built 500 base stations.However, the Alliance chip companies related to the more weaker part , Because LoRa network core technology is in the possession of Semtech, chip manufacturers to collaborate, usually with the Semtech chip with the communication chip, or the introduction of the module.
Sigfox beach landing
Sigfox, a technology pioneered by the French network operator Sigfox, is a strategy the startup has taken to broaden its network and get to market faster than any other competitor. At present Sigfox has a worldwide network of 32 Countries, next year is expected to complete the basic construction of 60 countries. Sigfox upstream IP license free technology, combined with the vertical integration mode, from the upstream hardware manufacturing to the network construction, service provision through-train approach to attract many manufacturers to join its ecology There are 71 equipment manufacturing partners, 49 IoT platform suppliers, 8 chip suppliers, 15 module manufacturers, 30 software and design service providers, and 4 breeders / venture capitalists. Vendors include Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, Silicon Labs, On-Semi, NXP, Ethertronics, Microchip and M2Comm.
Intelligent parking is one of the key points in the application of LPWAN technology. It is foreseeable that this application will soon set off a wave of price wars, and Sigfox's low-cost advantage, and the technology is the most simple, it is possible to reach Terminal 2 in a short time Dollar target is expected to grab some of the market.On the other hand, Sigfox Asian operator Yohane than announced in October this year, fees, monthly fee between NT 2 yuan to 22 yuan, making Taiwan a Sigfox The cheapest market in the world is bound to challenge LoRa.
NB-IoT ready to go
NB-IoT is a new generation of Internet of Things wireless communication technology promoted by 3GPP, an international telecommunication standards organization. It not only has higher data transmission rate but also larger data transmission capacity. In addition, NB-IoT has better transmission based on authorized frequency bands Quality, and the technology uses the original cellular network encryption design, so the transmission of the message has a higher security.Although the NB-IoT completed this year, the standard set, the commercial launch as early as next year, but also not Smaller companies, such as Vodafone, a UK telecoms operator, have the opportunity to lead the LPWAN market by 2018 and are rivals to LoRa.
Networking technology applications have their own advantages
With the continuous growth of IoT utilities such as water meters, smoke detectors and fuel tanks in smart cities, there is an increasing demand for more applications that require a small amount of data between devices and devices for long-distance wireless transmission. The scope of application will be increasingly widened, but the application situation will vary depending on the construction site.
LoRa is low cost
LoRa technology is a license-free IoT wireless communication technology with long-range and low-power transmission features, including transmission distances covering a range of more than 10 kilometers, and built-in battery Can be maintained for more than 10 years of use of time, the cost for the enterprise to install and deploy the cost is lower.
Only by adding hundreds of LoRa wireless communication base stations to the existing 3G / 4G telecom base stations, the Dutch telecom giant KPN has successfully built a LoRa wireless sensor network that covers the whole country and at least provides road lighting, Traffic signs, smoke alarms, waste management and mobile tracking applications such as 1.5 million IoT devices used.In addition South Korea's largest telecom operators in Beijing Telecom also provides LoRa network commercial IoT services.Also even Taipei, New York Other cities also gradually build LoRa network to create IoT applications.
Atilze Digital announced the construction of the first LoRa network in Malaysia by the end of April 2017 and the use of LoRaWAN technology to build 25 LoRa Gateway, with more than 300 million LoRa components expected to be connected to the network by 2020. Atilze Digital provides networking In-Vehicle, Advanced Driving Assistance System (ADAS), Smart City, Smart Agriculture, Smart Home, etc. IoT Service SK Looper used LoRa technology in the vehicle driving management system in September this year to report the vehicle driving situation to the system. SK Telecom's LoRa The Internet of Things (IoT) system integrates LTE-M technologies to provide services in power meters, tracking systems, monitoring systems, security systems, factories and buildings. Figure 1 shows the platform used by SK Telecom to track systems. Connected to the DCU via LPWA technology and controlled by the ThinkgPlug platform.As shown in Figure 2, the ThinkPlug platform is powered by oneM2M technology that allows managers to control components through the Web interface.LK Telecom also leverages LoRa technology Indonesia provides vehicle location tracking systems, smart meters, etc. SK Telecom also expects to offer in India by 2018 a contract by SK Telecom's ThingPlug IoT Ping As shown in Figure 3. SK Telecom leverages the LoRa IoT platform to provide services in safety systems as well as smart factories and smart buildings as shown in Figure 3. As shown, SK Telecom utilizes a large number of sensors on safety systems or factory robots , Through the Beacon sent by the sensor component to communicate with the LoRa component to collect the sensor information and use LoRa or WiFi network to transmit the information to the back-end SK Telecom system server. Through the SK Telecom's EHS platform To monitor the system.
Figure 1 The SK LoRa platform used by SK Telecom to track the system
Source: SK Telecom website
Figure 2 ThingPlug platform data source: SK Telecom website
Figure 3 SK Telecom's LoRa Platform for Security Systems and Smart Fabs and Smart Buildings Data Source: SK Telecom Website
In addition to the traditional operators to LoRa services, LoRa system solutions put into the market a lot of manufacturers, as shown in Figure 4, LoRa product chain vendors can provide LoRa components such as chip products and services.
Figure 4 LoRa network product chain data source: IDS website
Although LoRa is used by many more IoT systems on many IoT systems, there are pros and cons of using LoRa, as shown in Figure 5. How to seamlessly integrate the LoRa network with existing established IT environments Is also an issue affecting the construction of LoRa LoRa network how to combine with the old environment and future new environment, how to manage these systems, how to provide system security is also a problem to be solved, especially these IoT components Because of the low cost and complexity, these LoRa IoT components provide far less security than existing computers and handset systems provide because of the lack of security mechanisms designed to be easily overwhelmed (DDoS), and security issues will be worsened because LoRa systems will be built closer to the user's life on smart appliances.Many vendors are using LoRa systems to provide smart factory services, but they are installed at The machine's IoT sensor system is hacked, there will be factory safety issues to consider LoRa IoT system because of low-cost, low-power, wide area transmission, components With long-term use (more than ten years life), etc., can provide rapid automated management of intelligent build at the beginning, but after deployment derived from security breaches is a big problem.
Figure 5 Risk Analysis for LoRaWAN Business and IT Data Source: IDC Website
Sigfox should be monitored extensively
Sigfox biggest feature is the low transmission rate, wide range of transmission, quite suitable for the development of a wide range of environmental monitoring, but the technology of the daily limit of data transmission, can not transmit complex messages to the basic message-based, low return on traffic , Only once an hour return of applications, such as water meters, electricity meters, street lights and other intelligent control, it is suitable for the Sigfox technology.However, Europe and the United States and other places in response to energy-saving carbon reduction, have spiked peak difference in price, the frequency of return will be Up to every 15 minutes to return once so dense transmission frequency, Sigfox technology can not afford the operation and construction of Sigfox core network are controlled by the French network operator Sigfox, and stressed that one country in an operator, the same global network , To some extent is also a major obstacle to development, because less telecommunications support, Sigfox to enter the consumer market for Internet of Things is likely to be more difficult to upgrade.
NB-IoT takes the lead
With licensed spectrum, NB-IoT is assured of carrier-class security and QoS and support for live network upgrades, which will surely bring the market to market in the shortest amount of time. NB-IoT technology is best suited for applications that require frequent transmissions and have short Downlink Delay (Downlink Delay) applications.
However, the deployment cost of NB-IoT is higher than that of other LPWAN technologies, and the hardware cost is high, and the battery life is greatly lost, and the device consumes more than five times the power consumption of the LoRa device. Most of the IoT devices currently on the market are based on Data transmission is used, such as water meters, sensors, etc. Therefore, even if NB-IoT starts to develop commercial applications, it is hard to replace LoRa devices. LoRa technology matures ahead of NB-IoT for about one to two years. If this can not be used Two years of good development, to grasp the best time to open the gap, perhaps you can seize the initiative, and to take a place in the market.
Various technical cooperation to make up for each other's deficiencies
The development of smart cities has been going on in full swing. In the near future, as a science and technology park with Taiwan's economic center, it is bound to import technologies from the Internet of Things to collect data from factories such as temperature, water and gas and carry out environmental monitoring Increase production capacity for smart manufacturing.Although LoRa data transmission distance without Sigfox far, but relatively high transmission bandwidth, is the technology of choice.With 10-meter wafer fab, for example, in the factory to build a Closed LoRaWAN, the construction cost and difficulty are not high.Enterprises will plant the collected data can be transmitted through a wider range of NB-IoT network or the existing 4G LTE network to the open cloud or private cloud, Will integrate data from multiple plant locations for a pooled analysis, just as Olivier Hersent, founder of the LoRa standard, put it: LoRa and NB-IoT do not have a rivalry but will evolve into a partnership like Wi-Fi and LTE, However, LoRa also has a seamless integration of LoRa networks with existing IT environments and how these systems can be managed and how to provide system security. The problem, especially if the device of things in the absence of security mechanism design, more likely to develop serious information security problems.