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With so many IoT connectivity solutions available, it is difficult to determine which one is right for your specific business case. So, what is LoRa? The simplest explanation is that LoRa or LowRange is a long-range, low-power wireless platform.

What is LoRaWAN?

LoRaWAN is the LoRa platform used in the Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) specification supporting the Internet of Things (IoT).

Although LoRaWAN has entered the industry as a competitive IoT connection solution, the technology has not yet reached its peak in widespread use worldwide. At present, given the characteristics of LoRaWAN, the demand for this connection in the Brazilian market is growing rapidly. AmericanTower, a shared telecommunications infrastructure company, has launched LoRaWAN to support the Internet of Things, and it currently covers many major urban areas in Brazil.

LoRaWAN is a suitable choice for IoT use cases that are most suitable for using remote connections to achieve low power consumption. The technology can also be used in public, private or hybrid networks, making it a flexible choice while also supporting secure data transmission.

Benefits of LoRaWAN

If the cellular or WiFi connection is unreliable, which IoT connection solution is the most effective? Whether using cellular networks or Wi-Fi coverage is too expensive is a question. The device needs to be powered by the connection at a feasible cost while also providing consistency.

In addition, in many cases, the advantages of 5G—that is, its high speed and low latency—do not necessarily meet the requirements of battery-powered devices deployed on-site, and in many cases, the entire life cycle of the device. The speed of data transmission and more access to the network may put heavy pressure on low-power devices, not to mention the cost of high-speed data transmission.

LoRa provides greater coverage for IoT use cases where speed and latency are not disruptive factors at the lowest cost. The best use case for LoRaWAN involves rural or indoor environments. The narrowband of LoRaWAN provides a wider range, and the ability to penetrate obstacles to achieve full coverage makes it an extremely attractive IoT connection solution.

Use cases of LoRaWAN

The advantages of LoRaWAN are obvious-for devices that do not require high data transmission rates, it has low power consumption, wide range and cost-effectiveness. Some best use cases include:

Agriculture: LoRaWAN has long distances that can provide rural applications with reliability for devices with low data transmission rates, and perfectly supports agricultural use cases.

Assets and logistics: Network-based positioning and tracking capabilities make LoRaWAN suitable for assets and logistics with low cost and optimized battery life.

Smart metering: LoRaWAN can reach underground sensor monitoring facilities, which makes it an ideal connection choice for smart metering.

Smart home: The ability to pass obstacles (such as walls) and the ability to support battery-powered, low-data-consumption applications that can be used in smart homes makes this connection option attractive.

LoRa is not a short-sighted choice

With the closure of 2G and 3G networks, 5G will become a global choice in the next 10 years. Choosing an IoT connection solution among many options seems worrying.

Even if 4GLTE becomes the cellular choice for IoT devices, LoRaWAN also provides a simpler connection option for large-scale, low-power IoT applications.