A LoRa module enables a device to connect to a LoRa network which is built on the long range, low power wireless communication standard specifically designed for internet of things (IoT) use cases. LoRa is the physical layer technology that provides long-range, low-power radio communication. It utilizes a spread spectrum modulation technique derived from chirp spread spectrum technology.

The LoRaWAN is a communication protocol and network architecture built on top of the LoRa physical layer to manage devices and data transmission across the network. LoRaWAN enables transmission of data over distances of up to 15km in rural areas, supporting applications such as smart agriculture, energy monitoring and metering, supply chain and logistics, and smart cities. It is used to connect hundreds of millions of devices in more than 100 countries.

LoRaWAN operates in unlicensed radio frequency bands and routinely supports ranges of 2-5km in towns, with greater range in rural and suburban areas. The technology offers a low power consumption during idle mode of 200nA and active signal reception of 10mA, resulting in typical battery life for devices of five years. This makes LoRaWAN ideal for battery devices, although device lifespan is highly dependent on how often communication needs to occur and the time a device is operating as opposed to being in sleep mode.

The LoRa ecosystem comprises a vibrant device and solution community, brought together by the LoRa Alliance, of which Quectel is a member. There are other LoRa protocol layers including proprietary and private network implementations. One example of a proprietary network implementation of LoRa is the Amazon Sidewalk network.

Device density

In addition, LoRaWAN has the ability to connect a large number of devices to a single network so dense deployments such as soil sensors in agriculture can be supported. The architecture features end devices, gateways, network and application servers to provide a scalable, flexible and cost-effective network for IoT. Importantly, a single LoRaWAN gateway can communicate with multiple nodes across large areas and thereby reduce the number of gateways required, bringing down the overall costs of a deployment. Further extension of the capacity and range of LoRaWAN has been added recently with the introduction of relay devices which augment end nodes and gateways to enhance performance.

LoRaWAN can also support positioning in applications where low power consumption and low cost are priorities, and where accuracy within tens or hundreds of meters is acceptable. A final advantage is that LoRaWAN is highly secure and resistant to unauthorized decoding.

On the flipside, LoRaWAN has several disadvantages. Its long-range capabilities come at the expense of slow data transfer, so it’s unsuitable for use cases that require high-speed or real-time communication. LoRaWAN data rates vary widely depending on the deployment region and the operating frequencies utilized, which differ between regions. Typical data rates are between 0.3kbps and 11kbps and, in North America, the minimum data rate is 0.9kbps under FCC rules. There is potential for higher data rates such as 50kbps by using frequency shift keying (FSK) in some markets.

LoRaWAN’s payload is ideal for a soil sensor communicating a pH or moisture level, or a meter communicating consumption volume, but the high latency and jitter at-network boundaries rule out most video streaming or real-time monitoring applications. Recent developments have seen LoRaWAN integrated with non-terrestrial networks (NTN) to enable continuous, global IoT connectivity. LoRaWAN low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations are being set up so LoRaWAN devices on earth can connect directly to them and support underserved areas. Although this is still an immature market, it is a new area of significant potential in which the technology is being applied.

LoRa modules that can maximize the available benefits

The long range, high device density, low power consumption, and cost efficiency of LoRa demands similarly specified LoRa modules to ensure devices can be designed to fit IoT use cases. For example, a LoRa soil sensor needs a LoRa module that is cost-effective enough to be deployed in high volumes across farm fields, compact enough to fit in typical sensor probe devices, sufficiently low power for the sensor to remain in operation for months and, of course, able to communicate with a gateway and/or nodes to ensure data is communicated as required, without interruption.

Modules such as the KG200Z high performance LoRa module from Quectel have been designed for long range, ultra-low power wireless transmission. This module complies with the LoRaWAN protocol and operates globally in 470-510MHz and 863-928MHz LoRa frequency bands. With a form factor of 12.0mm x 12.0mm x 1.8mm, the KG200Z is ideal for size-constrained applications and offers transmission distance of 2-5km in towns and 10-15km in suburbs or rural areas.

It offers ultra-low power consumption of 1.7μA in deep sleep mode, making it ideal for smart locks, door sensors, gas and water leak detection, pet tracking, air quality monitoring, smart parking and traffic monitoring, and waste management as well as HVAC systems. Smart metering use cases in Europe are further facilitated by Quectel, with dual-stack LoRaWAN and wM-Bus modules and upcoming support for Sigfox.

To ensure you select the right LoRa module for your design you should assess module attributes carefully. We advise checking the module offers long range, ultra-low power consumption, a compact form factor, ease of deployment and strong security and anti-interference capabilities to deliver the reliable data transmission you need at a low cost.

Quectel has a complete portfolio of LoRa modules available with our range of integrated antennas and backed by our comprehensive IoT services to ensure a smooth, rapid path to market. To learn how we can help streamline your design, please contact us at any time.