Long range on little power.
WHAT THEY PROVIDE
Kilometres of range Battery life measured in years Very low cost per message
WHAT THEY COST
Very low data rates Limits on message frequency High latency Limited or no capability for large transfers
WHAT THAT RULES OUT
Firmware updates over the air, in most cases Anything resembling continuous data
WHAT THEY SUIT
Periodic small readings: level, temperature, presence, position.
WHAT UNLICENSED OPTIONS PROVIDE
Private networks you operate yourself No subscription per device
WHAT THEY REQUIRE
Gateways, deployed and maintained by you.
WHAT PUBLIC NETWORKS PROVIDE
Coverage without infrastructure.
WHAT THEY REQUIRE
Coverage actually existing where you deploy.
WHAT DUTY CYCLE LIMITS ARE
Restrictions on how often a device may transmit.
WHY THEY MATTER
They cap message frequency regardless of what you want.
WHAT TO DESIGN AROUND
Very small payloads, sent infrequently.
WHAT TO PLAN FOR
Messages being lost, with no acknowledgement in some configurations.
WHAT TO TEST
Range in the actual environment, since obstacles reduce it substantially.
