Laird RM1xx Series LoRa
®
+ Bluetooth
®
v4.0 Modules
Product Brief
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Interested in Laird’s RM1xx modules?
Contact us at http://www.lairdtech.com/contact-us-rm1xx
The Enterprise Internet of Things (EIoT) is a massive network of connected devices and sensors that is taking shape as
new technologies bring connectivity to unprecedented applications. By 2020, ABI research predicts 40.9 billion
wireless devices will be connected, like smart meters, street lights, security sensors, industrial controls, and more.
However, an infrastructure must be in place to enable the EIoT to thrive in remote areas. While current networks (like
cellular) were made for very different applications with other requirements and priorities, Low Power Wide Area Networking
(LPWAN) solutions are emerging to specifically address these EIoT applications.
Low Power Wide Area Networking (LPWAN) is not a specific technology, but rather a category of technologies. It provides wireless
connectivity to extremely power conscious devices in networks that can blanket everything from large facilities to entire cities. This
means enabling data acquisition, providing useful controls, and generating logistical insights and actionable data. Devices that
were once impractical to connect are being designed into real world systems that were mere dreams just years ago. But these
devices all need a robust, reliable wireless infrastructure built on specific technologies to manage and interconnect them.
Many protocols and technologies exist in this space, trying to solve this challenge in unique ways with different strengths and
weaknesses. The most promising and flexible is LoRa
®
, developed by the LoRa
®
Alliance and powered by LoRa
®
chipsets from
Semtech. The LoRa
®
Alliance is a non-profit collection of companies that aims to standardize LPWAN worldwide via LoRa
®
technology. Version 1.0 of the LoRa
®
specification was released in June 2015, providing a technology with a remarkable balance
when it comes to cost of deployment, flexibility, and performance. Its core strengths make it an ideal LPWAN offering for EIoT that
eliminates many costs and challenges associated with provisioning such a network.
Best Balance of LPWAN Characteristics and Features
Generally, LPWAN technologies (and therefore the choice of an EIoT solution) can be thought of in terms of three primary
characteristics: power consumption, range, and cost. LPWAN is meant to provide connectivity over long ranges utilizing minimal
power, but figures vary among competing solutions. LoRa
®
provides an attractive balance between the highest and lowest of
LPWAN data rates, providing a theoretical ~21.9 kbps that more than exceeds the requirements of the vast majority of LPWAN
applications with overhead to spare (for example, this is nearly 40 times the maximum data rate of SIGFOX). Likewise, when
compared to LTE-M cellular solutions, LoRa
®
provides the same or greater range and is much less expensive. In a large and
competitive field of LPWAN options, LoRa
®
provides the surest path to success.
1.
Nokia Networks. ”LTE-M – Optimizing LTE for the Internet of Things.” Retrieved 11 Feb 2016.
Reduce or Eliminate Dependence on a Network Carrier
Where other competing solutions require you connect through existing gateways maintained by carriers for a fee, LoRa
®
uniquely
allows you to connect to either an open (public) network or to your own closed (private) network. No other current LPWAN solution
offers this self-contained, full-ownership option. Owning the complete infrastructure means not relying on a provider to continue
supporting your LPWAN offering, mitigating risk when entering the EIoT space. This model has the triple advantage of eliminating
reliance on a third party provider, eliminating monthly subscription costs, and total end-to-end data control, providing the smartest
path forward into LPWAN networks at a time of competing solutions and providers.
Meets and Exceeds EIoT Requirements
LoRa
®
’s features and specifications make it an ideal EIoT solution, balancing throughput and range to optimize both
while using minimal power. LoRa
®
Class A nodes like the RM1xx achieve either a maximum range (Up to 15 km, around
10 miles), a maximum data rate (~21.9 kbps) or a balance of each as is required by the application. Class A LoRa
®
nodes are very power conscious, only enabling their extremely efficient 10 mA RF receivers briefly after transmitting,
ideal for battery-operated remote devices. All LoRa
®
nodes and gateways are interoperable and can be certified with the LoRa
®
Alliance, ensuring your device can migrate to any desired network hassle-free.
Enterprise Security for Sensitive Applications
In addition to AES-128 security, LoRa
®
employs a scheme of device, application, and network security keys to authenticate end
nodes and secure their traffic. This three
-level approach ensures that only trusted devices can interface with your device and its
application. The end result is public and private networks with heightened intelligence and the ability to screen and authorize just
the nodes you want to participate on your network. LoRa
®
offers the kind of robust security that EIoT networks demand as the
emergent wave of connected devices approaches.
SIGFOX
LTE-M (Cellular)
1
1
1
1
Paid Subscription OR Free / Independent
