Enabling Internet of Everything Everywhere: LPWAN with Satellite Backhaul

One of the basic requirements of the Internet of Things (IoT) is that all the devices are connected wherever they happen to be. While Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G cellular networks are able to support many IoT applications, they cannot provide an ubiquitous and seamless coverage as satellites. Connecting terrestrial IoT network segments directly to IoT service back ends via satellite broadband is becoming a new business focus, creating opportunities for notable use of hybrid Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) to satellite gateways. In this position paper we analyze the potential of satellite for the IoT. We review the present-day initiatives from Satellite and Telco operators to deploy satellite-enabled LPWANs. Last but not least, we illustrate the technical challenges to be faced for interconnecting satellite and LoRaWAN networks, which call for further research investigation.