What is LPWAN?
LPWAN at a Glance
- What it is: LPWAN (Low-Power Wide-Area Network) is a wireless network designed for long-range, low-power IoT connectivity.
- Why it matters: Supports thousands of devices across wide geographic areas while minimizing power consumption and operational costs.
- Best fit: Ideal for IoT applications with small, infrequent data transfers, including smart cities, agriculture, and asset tracking.
What is LPWAN?
LPWAN is a class of wireless networks built for IoT devices that need to communicate over long distances with minimal power consumption. Common LPWAN standards include:
- LoRaWAN
- SigFox
- LTE-M (Cat M1)
- NB-IoT
- RPMA
- Symphony Link
- Weightless
Unlike Wi-Fi, 2G, 3G, or 4G LTE networks, LPWANs handle smaller data packets (typically 10β10,000 bytes) at modest speeds (up to ~200 kbps) over ranges from 2 km to 30 km.
This combination of low power, long range, and cost efficiency makes LPWANs a strong choice for IoT projects that deploy thousands of devices across expansive areas, sending small, infrequent data packets.
Benefits of LPWAN for IoT
- Extended battery life: Devices can operate for years on a single battery, reducing maintenance costs.
- Wide coverage: Supports sensors across rural, urban, and industrial areas without requiring dense infrastructure.
- Cost-effective: Low data and power requirements minimize operational costs.
- Flexible licensing: Can operate over licensed or unlicensed spectrum, providing interference protection and security.
- Scalability: Handles thousands of devices in a single network, ideal for large-scale IoT deployments.
Challenges of LPWAN
- Lower data throughput: Not suitable for high-bandwidth applications like video streaming.
- Higher latency: Some LPWAN networks may respond slower than alternatives like Bluetooth or 3G.
- Potential reliability issues: In extremely dense or noisy environments, connectivity may be less consistent.
- Limited real-time capability: Best suited for applications where occasional delays are acceptable.
LPWAN vs. Other Connectivity Options
| Feature | LPWAN | Wi-Fi | Cellular (3G/4G/5G) | Bluetooth |
| Range | 2β30 km | ~100 ft indoors | Wide-area | ~30 ft |
| Power consumption | Very low | High | Moderate to high | Very low |
| Data throughput | Low (10β10,000 bytes) | High | High | Low |
| Best for | Sparse, low-data IoT | Video, high-data apps | Mobile IoT | Short-range sensors, wearables |
| Network model | Star or mesh | Infrastructure | Cellular | Peer-to-peer or mesh |
LPWAN and IoT
LPWAN is particularly well-suited for IoT deployments that span large areas and require minimal device maintenance. These networks allow devices to send small data packets efficiently while keeping battery life and operational costs low.
Example Use Cases
- Smart cities:
- Waste containers alert city management when full.
- Parking sensors indicate available spots only when status changes.
- Waste containers alert city management when full.
- Smart buildings:
- Battery-powered locks activated remotely, improving security and operational efficiency.
- Battery-powered locks activated remotely, improving security and operational efficiency.
- Smart agriculture:
- Soil sensors detect high acidity or moisture levels and send alerts to farmers.
- Environmental sensors monitor crops and livestock conditions over large fields.
- Soil sensors detect high acidity or moisture levels and send alerts to farmers.
- Industrial monitoring:
- Remote equipment or asset tracking where sensors report infrequently but must cover large distances.
- Remote equipment or asset tracking where sensors report infrequently but must cover large distances.
How Soracom Supports LPWAN Deployments
Soracom provides connectivity and cloud-native services that simplify LPWAN IoT deployments:
- LPWAN connectivity: Supports LoRaWAN, LTE-M, and NB-IoT, enabling devices to connect reliably over long distances.
- Device and partner ecosystem: Access to hardware providers with pre-certified LPWAN modules for faster deployment.
- Data management and integration:
- Soracom Funnel and Harvest for collecting LPWAN sensor data.
- Soracom Flux and MCP Server for large-scale processing, AI analytics, and real-time monitoring.
- Soracom Funnel and Harvest for collecting LPWAN sensor data.
- Secure networking: Virtual Private Gateways (VPG) ensure LPWAN device data is transmitted safely and privately.
π Soracom helps businesses scale LPWAN IoT solutions efficiently, whether in agriculture, smart cities, or industrial operations, while minimizing infrastructure and maintenance costs.