Low Power Wide Area Networks: A Survey of Enabling Technologies,
Applications and Interoperability Needs
Abstract
Low-power wide area (LPWA) technologies are strongly recommended as the
underlying
networks for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. They offer
attractive features, including wide-range
coverage, long battery life, and low data rates. This paper reviews the
current trends in this technology,
with an emphasis on the services it provides and the challenges it
faces. The industrial paradigms for LPWA
implementation are presented. Compared with other work in the field,
this paper focuses on the need for
integration among different LPWA technologies and recommends the
appropriate LPWA solutions for a
wide range of IoT application and service use cases. Opportunities
created by these technologies in the
market are also analyzed. The latest research efforts to investigate and
improve the operation of LPWA
networks are also compared and classified to enable researchers to
quickly get up to speed on the current
status of this technology. Finally, challenges facing LPWA are
identified and directions for future research
are recommended.