Wireless communication technology of Internet of Things: NB-IoT, LoRa brief

There are many wireless communication technologies in the Internet of Things, which are mainly divided into two categories: one is Zigbee, WiFi, Bluetooth, Z-wave and other short-range communication technologies; the other is LPWAN (low-powerWide-AreaNetwork). That is, WAN communication technology.

The rapid development of the Internet of Things puts higher demands on wireless communication technologies, and LPWAN, which is designed for low-bandwidth, low-power, long-distance, and large-scale connected Internet of Things applications, is also rapidly emerging.

IoT applications need to consider many factors, such as node cost, network cost, battery life, data transfer rate (throughput rate), latency, mobility, network coverage, and deployment type. The NB-IoT and LoRa technologies have different technical and commercial characteristics and are the two most promising low-power WAN communication technologies. Both LPWAN technologies have the characteristics of wide coverage, multiple connections, low speed, low cost, and low power consumption. They are suitable for low-power IoT applications and are actively expanding their ecosystems.

NB-IoT, LoRa brief

NB-IOT (NarrowBand Internet of Things, NB-IoT, also known as narrowband Internet of Things) is a technical standard defined by the 3GPP standardization organization. It is a narrow-band RF technology designed for the Internet of Things. LoRa (LongRange) is a US Semtech company. An ultra-long-range wireless transmission scheme based on spread spectrum technology adopted and popularized. The LoRa network is mainly composed of a terminal (with built-in LoRa module), a gateway (or base station), a server, and a cloud. The application data can be transmitted in both directions.

NB-IoT, LoRa use frequency band

NB-IoT uses licensed bands and is available in three deployments: standalone deployment, protection band deployment, and in-band deployment. The world's mainstream frequency bands are 800MHz and 900MHz. China Telecom will deploy NB-IoT in the 800MHz band, while China Unicom will choose 900MHz, China Mobile may re-plant the existing 900MHz band.

LoRa uses the license-free ISM band, but the ISM band usage varies from country to country. In the Chinese market, China's LoRa Application Alliance (CLAA), led by ZTE, recommended 470-518MHz. The radio meter uses a frequency band of 470-510MHz. Since LoRa works in the license-free frequency band, network construction can be performed without application, the network architecture is simple, and the operating cost is low. The LoRa Alliance is pushing the standardized Lo-RaWAN protocol globally to enable devices that comply with the LoRaWAN specification to be interconnected.

NB-IoT, LORA communication distance

NB-IoT communication distance:

The signal coverage of a mobile network depends on the base station density and link budget. NB-IoT has a link budget of 164dB, GPRS has a link budget of 144dB and LTE is 142.7dB. Compared with GPRS and LTE, the NB-IoT link budget has a 20dB increase, and the open environment signal coverage can be increased by seven times. 20dB is equivalent to the loss of signal penetration through the outer wall of the building. The signal coverage of the NB-IoT indoor environment is relatively good. Generally, the communication distance of NB-IoT is 15km.

LoRa communication distance:

LoRa offers a maximum link budget of 168dB with its unique patented technology. Generally speaking, the wireless distance in the city is 1-2 km, and the wireless distance in the suburb is up to 20 km.

NB-IoT, LoRa cost comparison

The LPWAN protocol needs to consider its low cost no matter how powerful it is, otherwise they are not a viable IoT solution. LoRa has an advantage in this regard. The overall cost of the LoRaWAN module is around $8-10, which is about half the price of a cellular LTE module such as NB-IoT. The higher the complexity of the NB-IoT network, the higher the cost of intellectual property (the licensed band) and the higher total cost of NB-IoT. Upgrading NB-IoT to advanced 4G/LTE base stations is more expensive than LoRa deployment through industrial gateways or tower-top gateways. As the market matures, the cost of LoRa technology is expected to decline further.

Both NB-IoT and LoRa are still in the initial stages of development and require input and common development. When large-scale deployments are possible, the cost of modules for NB-IoT and LoRa will be further reduced. As far as the technical solution is concerned, in a short period of time, NB-IoT and LoRa will definitely be in parallel. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is hard to say who is overwhelming. However, if it is affected by factors other than technical solutions, such as the innovation of profit model. With the close integration with the application industry, with the influence of the industry, then everything is possible. In the new wave of the development of the Internet of Things, the project will be first landed, and there will be an opportunity to win one step ahead. NB-IoT and LoRa not only need product innovation, but also innovation in project application.

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