Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1442769
7 The automation, digitization, and interconnecting of several devices is applied to functions already resident in a home: Lighting, climate control, blind control, solar shading, audio and video control, and security and entry control. Security is the primary goal for the homeowner while energy cost savings is a close second. Cellular Technologies for IoT Traditional cellular technologies, including 4G and Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks, consume too much power and don't fit well with applications where only a small amount of data is transmitted infrequently (e.g., meters for reading water levels, gas consumption, or electricity use). Instead, cellular IoT requires low-power, long-range applications. The cellular IoT roadmap is based on the following technologies: LTE LTE-M (also called LTE Cat-M1 or enhanced Machine Type Communication (eMTC)), which arrived in the Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 12, is now enhanced in Release 13. LTE-M improves on older LTE technology, requiring far less power to operate, using solar power or batteries, and enabling IoT device operation for at least 10 years in a wide range of applications. Given that corresponding Cat-M1 modems support less bandwidth, they are less expensive to operate yet take advantage of the full features of the LTE network. This makes Cat-M1 the ideal LTE cellular solution for IoT applications. LTE-M is energy efficient, as it allows devices to have longer sleep cycles, so they can communicate with the network at different times ranging from 10 seconds to 40 minutes or more. It lengthens IoT device battery life by providing advanced power management, turning the device's modem on and off at scheduled intervals to save power, while allowing the modem to remain connectable even when most of its functions are inactive. LTE-M benefits from current network security capabilities, such as identity confidentiality and authentication, data integrity, and mobile equipment identification, and is currently in deployment by major carriers. Narrowband IoT Although similar to Cat-M and a narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) system with LTE functionality, NB-IoT (or Cat-M2) uses Direct- Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) modulation versus LTE radios. Since NB-IoT does not operate in the LTE band, there is a high upfront deployment cost, though it may ultimately be a low cost option. NB-IoT sensor data is sent directly to the main server, eliminating the need for a gateway. NB-IoT delivers high sensitivity and long range with limited data rates of a few hundred bits per second (bps) so that multiple uplinks occur simultaneously. Its advantages include enhanced indoor coverage and the ability to connect a massive number of low-throughput devices with an adapted data rate. The design objectives include: • Low-cost devices • High coverage • Long battery life: 10-plus years • A capacity of more than 52,000 devices per channel, per cell Introduced in Release 13, NB-IoT represents the most advanced development of cellular standards dedicated to IoT. Extended Capacity Global System for Mobile communication for IoT Extended Capacity (EC) Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) for IoT (EC-GSM-IoT) is based on the Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EGPRS) that increases data rates while remaining compatible with legacy GSM technology. This IoT-optimized GSM network represents the wireless protocol that 80 percent of smartphones currently use globally. EC-GSM-IoT provides coverage for IoT devices in challenging radio environments and is backward-compatible with previous releases, so it can operate within existing GSM networks as a software upgrade. It offers broad coverage, allows resource sharing between EC-GSM-IoT and legacy packet-switched services, and can function in a network without dedicated resources for IoT. In addition to providing excellent coverage, it uses a simplified protocol layer to reduce device complexity, extends battery life, and uses a security framework comparable to 4G standards. • FCC/IC, PTCRB, and AT&T certified – eliminates certification costs and risks • Transparent and API modes simplify software integration • Low-power modes for battery powered applications LEARN MORE 4 Digi XBee ™ Cellular 3G Global