Two of the most well known names are Local Area Network (LAN) and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). They both have the advantage that they can transmit large volumes of data due to their large bandwidth, something which is now also possible over 5G networks. This attribute makes LAN, WLAN and 5G perfect for transmitting camera recordings, sounds and control commands for machinery and self-driving vehicles requiring relatively large volumes of data and low latencies. However, these benefits are counterbalanced by the high infrastructure costs as the more the more data there are, the more expensive it becomes. Furthermore, data can only be transmitted via LAN and WLAN over short distances. For these reasons, other kinds of networks that allow new IoT use cases, are growing in importance. Read on to find out more.

LoRa (long range), NB-IoT and Mioty are all LPWAN networks with excellent building coverage and low energy requirements making it possible to transmit data between sensors and objects up to 15 kilometres apart, albeit with a low data throughput. The benefits are low power consumption and a long range, plus the technology can connect a large number of sensors with a battery life of up to 15 years per device. In the real world, that means LPWAN technology is ideal for multiple use cases and requires little infrastructure. This in turn makes it easy to upgrade. Another benefit is the sensors’ long life means there is less need for maintenance. This technology is, therefore, used in smart metering to record real-time water and power consumption. LoRa is used in multiple application areas including smart cities, asset tracking, retail, logistics, agriculture, smart buildings and smart factories.

Ultra wideband is a radio-based communications technology used for short-range, fast and stable data transfers. Best of all, UWB allows the precise location and movement of objects in a room to be tracked down to 15 centimetres. In terms of IoT, UWB is perfect for use on production lines and in logistics as it reduces the time needed to search for people and goods, optimising paperless logistics and production processes. In the future, UWB will be increasingly rolled in public building and shops to allow micronavigation with a smartphone acting as a navigation tool. Today’s smartphones already have UWB chips built in and the infrastructures necessary are increasingly being installed.