A Comprehensive Study on LPWANs With a Focus on the Potential of LoRa/LoRaWAN Systems

The Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem emerges rapidly and paves the way towards collecting huge amounts of data that can feed innovative information-based systems. The connectivity infrastructure that will support the IoT ecosystem encompasses deployments that define the so-called Low-Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs). LPWANs are an attractive solution for IoT service provisioning, since they incorporate energy-efficient and cost-effective technologies. In this context, a comprehensive study is provided to assist in the currently increasing research and development interest on LPWANs. First, recent cloud-based and open-source approaches for data management are discussed, while the major key wireless technologies for network access are presented. Second, the potential of Long Range (LoRa) modulation and Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) protocol, as key LPWAN wireless technologies in unlicensed spectrum bands, is further analyzed. The fundamental principles of these technologies are presented, and a thorough study on the relevant research activities is conducted.