What are long-range, low-power sensor networks?

Definition of long-range, low-power sensor networks

Long-range, low-power sensor networks — usually abbreviated LPWAN (Low-Power Wide-Area Network) — are a type of wireless technology. They are systems of connected sensors that work over a large area using very little power. This means they have the benefits of wide-area mobile networks (long range, no need for the device to be near a Wi-Fi access point) at a fraction of the cost and power consumption. They do not allow for large data transfers, so are not used for human communications (voice, video, and other communications that transfer large volumes of data). What they trade away in bandwidth, they make up for in range and battery life, which makes them useful for Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and other machine-to-machine communications where a device just needs to report a small reading periodically.

The best-known LPWAN technologies are LoRaWAN (an open standard, license-free spectrum, popular for private/self-hosted networks), Sigfox (a proprietary, carrier-operated network), and NB-IoT / LTE-M (cellular-carrier variants that use licensed spectrum and existing mobile network infrastructure). The technology choice usually comes down to whether you want to run your own network (LoRaWAN gateway on-site) or subscribe to a carrier’s existing coverage (NB-IoT, Sigfox).

Executive View

Long-range, low-power sensor networks can be deployed over large areas to collect data that can be analysed and developed into predictive models to drive strategic decisions. They can also be integrated into existing products to add intelligent features that will make them more appealing to users and to gather usage data to improve their performance over time. Long-range, low-power sensor networks help businesses:

• develop smart, IoT products or integrate connectivity into existing products. - gather data across wide areas that can be used to develop better products and make better decisions through data science.

Business Function Leader View

Long-range, low-power sensor networks help teams develop smart products, both by allowing the products to connect to other IoT technologies and by gathering data to make better decisions. Where a business makes use of monitoring devices, an LPWAN can improve the efficiency and accuracy of the devices’ data collection and reduce downtime. Monitoring devices are used across many industries — for example in agriculture to assess yield, or in manufacturing to track outdoor stock and equipment condition.

This kind of network is worth considering if:

• your industry makes use of monitoring devices.

• you are developing products that would be improved by connectivity.

KPIs worth measuring for this are:

• Lower downtime.

• Improved products measured by increased sales and retention.

Technical View

Long-range, low-power sensor networks use narrow bandwidth transmissions to achieve long-range. They can be implemented at relatively low cost due to low-power (thanks to limited daily server communications) and use of unlicensed spectrum. The fact that the sensor networks are low-power also means that battery life can be ten years or more, saving resources.

Long-range, low-power sensor networks help deliver:

• efficient and accurate usage data for your product.

• improved performance.

• connectivity over long distances and on unlicensed spectrum.

LPWAN technology is worth considering if you encounter:

• high power usage from existing connected devices.

• issues with network range for your product or monitoring devices.

• a high number of network gateways needed with existing technology.

• high costs of using licensed cellular spectrum.

Key criteria to consider are:

• How much data do you need to transmit and how frequently?

• Where will your devices be located?

• Will you need to add your own network/gateways, or use carrier coverage?

• What are your target costs for setting up and maintaining the network?

• How much autonomy do you require over your network?

LPWAN in metals manufacturing

Steel stockyards, service centres, and fabrication shops have a specific version of the problem LPWAN was designed for: assets and material spread across a large outdoor or semi-outdoor site, where running mains power and Ethernet to every monitoring point isn’t practical, but where a wireless network still needs to reach through stacked steel (which reflects and absorbs radio signal badly) and cover distances of hundreds of metres.

Some genuine applications in this environment:

• Outdoor stock monitoring. Bar and section stock stored in an open yard is exposed to weather. A battery-powered temperature/humidity sensor on a rack, reporting a few readings a day over LoRaWAN, can flag conditions that risk surface corrosion on stainless or coated material — without running cable to every rack.
• Remnant and bin-level tracking. Ultrasonic or level sensors on gondolas, skips, or offcut bins can report fill level periodically, feeding into inventory or scrap-handling decisions without a manual walk-round.
• Equipment condition monitoring. Vibration or temperature sensors on saws, cranes, or compressors can report basic health metrics over a low-power network, providing an early signal of a developing mechanical fault before it causes downtime — complementary to, but much cheaper to deploy than, a wired condition-monitoring system.
• Site-wide asset tracking. Long battery life (years, not days) matters for tracking mobile equipment or large reusable containers around a site where charging infrastructure isn’t everywhere.

The reason LPWAN specifically (rather than Wi-Fi or standard cellular) fits this use case is the combination of range, low infrastructure cost, and multi-year battery life — a single LoRaWAN gateway can often cover an entire yard, and the sensors themselves don’t need mains power or frequent battery changes, which matters when a sensor is bolted to the side of a rack that’s moved twice a year.