Are you interested in the Internet of Things (IoT)?
Connected devices enable the transmission of low-bandwidth data over very long radio distances. Several IoT networks, such as Sigfox, LoRaWAN, and Narrowband IoT, have established themselves as industry leaders in this market.
Here is all the useful information about these three IoT telecommunications protocols to help you better understand them.
Sigfox
Founded in 2009,Sigfoxis an Internet of Things (IoT) operator specializing in machine-to-machine communication. With a presence in no fewer than 71 countries, including the United States, Sigfox is a leader in its industry. In France, this LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network) IoT network covers nearly 95% of the population with over 2,000 installed antennas.
For more information, please visit our page dedicated to the Sigfox network
The Sigfox network allows each device equipped with a Sigfox module to send small amounts of data to the Sigfox Cloud. Each Sigfox sensor must be provisioned with a subscription from one of the Sigfox operators (one Sigfox operator per country covered by the network).
LoRa
Owned by the American company Semtech since 2012, LoRa is also a non-cellular network like its competitor Sigfox, but it relies on radio wave modulation technology. The goal of LoRaWAN is, of course, low-cost, low-power long-range communication. The LoRa Alliance comprises 148 operators worldwide and provides services in more than 162 countries.
In France, LoRa relies on operators such as Orange and Objenious (Bouygues Telecom) to develop its network. Thus, any device equipped with a LoRaWAN chip and subscribed to one of the operators mentioned above can send its data to that operator’s cloud. Unlike Sigfox, LoRaWAN products can also be used in private mode (and not operated). In this mode, data from the transmitters is sent to LoRaWAN gateways (e.g., Kerlink, Multitech…).
For more information, please visit our page dedicated to the LoRa network
Narrowband IoT
Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) is another LPWAN technology designed to facilitate the transmission of large amounts of data over very long distances. Unlike Sigfox and LoRa, NB-IoT is an IoT platform that relies on existing cellular networks. While it currently uses 4G networks, it is expected to be compatible with 5G as well.
Its networks are available under license and are managed by professional operators. In terms of coverage, although this IoT network has a strong presence in China, it actually comprises 94 networks worldwide. NB-IoT works “out of the box” on existing 4G networks when the operator responsible for mobile coverage in the relevant country implements this standard.
Enless Wireless currently offers products compatible with the Sigfox and LoRaWAN protocols that are designed for energy-efficient building applications.
