Interference Analysis of LoRaWAN and Sigfox in Large-Scale Urban IoT Networks

As reported by IoT Analytics, LoRaWAN, NB-IoT, and Sigfox dominate the low-power wide-area network market, covering 86% of it, considering both user adoption and ecosystem backing. NB-IoT operates on licensed frequencies, in contrast to Sigfox and LoRaWAN, which share sub-GHz ISM bands, possibly leading to mutual interference. In this paper, an analytical model is proposed to predict interference in ISM bands, focusing on the coexistence between Sigfox and LoRaWAN technologies, in realistic urban environments and under different traffic conditions and duty cycles. The choice of such environments and simulation parameters is supported by a thorough literature review, and the theoretical model is validated using the SEAMCAT software tool. The findings provide new perspectives on the coexistence of Sigfox and LoRaWAN for evolving Internet of things solutions. Moreover, we evaluate the effectiveness of employing protection distance mechanisms as a strategy for mitigating interference.