On the Resilience and Coexistence of IEEE 802.11ah Sub-1 GHz WLAN

Sub-1 GHz wireless local area networks (WLANs) have gained significant interest in the wireless community due to their long-range coverage and high penetration of obstacles at low frequencies. This study summarizes the transmission performance results of IEEE 802.11ah sub-1 GHz WLAN modules, operating in the license exempt 920 MHz channel bands, which are readily available. Transmission performance was analyzed and system settings for optimal quality of experience (QoE) configuration were identified, which are of importance for long-range remote control and teleoperation use cases. Further, spectrum measurements were conducted to identify any coexistence issues caused by legacy sub-1 GHz wireless sensor devices. Measurement findings were discussed and directions on future IEEE 802.11ah WLAN research were presented.