The Internet of Things (IoT) is developing rapidly and playing an increasing role in people’s lives. With the growth of Internet of Things applications, there will be more and more various technologies and devices, and they will increasingly rely on wireless communication technology.
The Internet of Things starts with network connectivity, but because IoT is such a broad and diverse field, you certainly won’t find a one-size-fits-all communications solution. In this article, we take a look at six leading IoT wireless technologies.
1. Cellular mobile (2G/3G/4G/5G)
Cellular mobile networks are deeply entrenched in the consumer market, providing reliable broadband communications and supporting a variety of voice calling and streaming video applications. The downside is that they come with very high operating costs and power requirements.
While cellular mobile networks are not suitable for most battery-powered sensor IoT applications, they are well suited for specific use cases, such as connected cars or fleet management in transportation and logistics. In addition, services such as in-car infotainment, traffic routing, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and fleet telematics and tracking can all rely on ubiquitous high-bandwidth cellular networks.
5G, the next generation mobile network with high speeds and ultra-low latency, will be the future of self-driving cars and augmented reality (VR). 5G is also expected to enable real-time video surveillance for public safety, real-time mobile transmission of medical data sets for connected health, and some time-sensitive industrial automation applications.
2. Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN)
Low Power Wide Area Networks are a new phenomenon in the Internet of Things. This family of technologies is designed to support large-scale IoT applications across industry, commerce and campuses by using small, inexpensive batteries to provide years-long remote communications services.
LPWAN can connect virtually all types of IoT sensors, facilitating numerous applications from remote monitoring, smart metering and worker safety to building control and facilities management. Still, LPWAN can only send small chunks of data at low rates, making it better suited for use cases that don’t require high bandwidth and aren’t time-sensitive.
Additionally, again, not all LPWANs are created equal. Today, there are licensed LPWAN technologies (NB-IoT, LTE-M) and unlicensed LPWAN technologies (such as MIOTY, LoRa , Sigfox, etc.). These technologies vary in the degree to which they factor into key network factors. For example, power consumption is a major issue for cellular-based licensed LPWANs, while quality of service and scalability are considerations when adopting unlicensed technologies. main problem. Additionally, standardization is another important factor to consider if you want to ensure long-term reliability, security, and interoperability.
3. Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi HaLow
Given Wi-Fi’s widespread use in enterprise and home environments, there’s really no need to explain it (IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n). However, in the IoT world, the role of Wi-Fi is not that important.
Except for a few applications such as digital signage and indoor surveillance cameras, Wi-Fi is not a viable solution for connecting IoT end devices because it has significant limitations in coverage, scalability, and power consumption. Instead, the technology can serve as a back-end network that transmits aggregated data from a central IoT hub to the cloud, especially in smart homes. Serious security concerns often hinder its adoption in industrial and commercial use cases.
Wi-Fi HaLow (IEEE 802.11ah) – a new, lesser-known derivative of Wi-Fi – brings significant improvements in range and energy efficiency to meet a wider range of IoT use cases. Despite this, the technology has received little traction and industry support so far, in part due to its low security profile. HaLow also operates on the 900 MHz band, which is only available in the United States, making it far from a global solution.
4. Bluetooth and BLE
Bluetooth belongs to the category of personal wireless networks and is a short-range communication technology well positioned in the consumer market. The new Bluetooth Low Energy further optimizes consumer IoT applications due to its low power consumption characteristics.
BLE-enabled devices are primarily used in conjunction with electronic devices (usually smartphones) that act as hubs for transmitting data to the cloud. Today, BLE is widely integrated in fitness and medical wearable devices (such as smart watches, blood glucose meters, pulse oximeters, etc.) as well as smart home devices (such as door locks), through which data can be easily transmitted to smartphones and visualized on a smartphone. In retail environments, BLE can be combined with beacon technology to enhance customer services such as in-store navigation, personalized promotions and content delivery.
5. Zigbee and other mesh protocols
Zigbee is a short-range, low-power wireless technology (IEEE 802.15.4) typically deployed in a mesh topology to extend coverage by relaying sensor data across multiple sensor nodes. Compared with low-power wide area networks, Zigbee provides higher data rates, but at the same time reduces energy efficiency due to mesh configuration.
Due to their short physical distance (<100m), Zigbee and similar mesh protocols (e.g. Z-Wave, Thread, etc.) are best suited for mid-range IoT applications where nodes are evenly distributed and in close proximity. In general, Zigbee is a perfect complement to WI-FI for various home automation applications such as smart lighting, HVAC control, security and energy management. Before the advent of low-power wide area networks, mesh networks were also implemented in industrial environments to support a variety of remote monitoring solutions. However, they are far from ideal for many geographically dispersed industrial facilities, and their theoretical scalability is often limited by increasingly complex network setup and management.
6. RFID Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Radio waves are used to transmit small amounts of data from an RFID tag to a reader over a short distance. To date, this technology has driven a major revolution in retail and logistics. By attaching RFID tags to various products and equipment, businesses can track their inventory and assets in real-time, allowing for better inventory and production planning and optimized supply chain management. As IoT applications continue to grow, RFID continues to solidify its place in retail, enabling IoT applications such as smart shelves, self-checkouts, and smart mirrors.
To sum up, each IoT vertical field and application has its own unique network requirements, which are adapted to different application requirements. When choosing IoT technology, consider not only distance, but also factors such as frequency band, power consumption, data rate, security, and network deployment.