LoRaWAN for public, private and hybrid networks

Established network connectivity technologies offer many benefits that vary by technology. Low-power wide-area (LPWA) technologies offer several different options to support large-scale IoT deployments, where low-complexity devices can optimize their lifecycles by leveraging the low-power capabilities of LPWA. LoRaWAN is one of these LPWA options, and is unique in that it is non-cellular. This makes it an affordable option because it can be used flexibly in public, private, or hybrid network structures.

Advantages and disadvantages of choosing a public network

• Public networks are easier to deploy.
• Public networks are good for outdoor use.
• The main disadvantages of public networks are lack of control and operating expenses.

With a public network, users can tap into the infrastructure of an existing telecom operator, which includes antennas. The benefit of a public network is that it covers the entire country, as the network already has the infrastructure built. Because of this, integrating with the infrastructure that the operator will also manage is a relatively simple process.

Existing infrastructure also helps support widespread use of IoT devices outdoors. The only downside is that when leveraging public networks, the subscription-based model can become expensive as more devices are added. While this can be an advantage initially because the infrastructure is managed by the operator, it can become a disadvantage if the organization wants more control over its connections.

Pros and Cons of Choosing a Private Network

• Dedicated networks are good for indoor use.
• A private network can provide more security.
• The main disadvantages of a dedicated network are the upfront capital expenditure and infrastructure maintenance.

As with any connectivity technology, LoRaWAN's dedicated networks will require more infrastructure development - primarily gateways and servers. While this means that upfront capital expenditures will be high, ultimately, operating expenses will be lower because users will not be paying subscription fees to independent operators. Instead, users will be their own operators and be responsible for the infrastructure.

Many indoor use cases for LoRaWAN can benefit from dedicated networks, including campuses, factories, and buildings.
LoRaWAN for Hybrid Networks

LoRaWAN can also use hybrid networks and can provide the advantages of both public and private networks to meet the requirements of the application.

LoRaWAN is designed for use in both indoor and outdoor environments and may need to address both indoor and outdoor environments due to its ability to support large-scale IoT use cases.

Some of the top use cases for LoRaWAN include:

• agriculture
• Assets and Logistics
• City
• health care
• Industrial
• Utilities
• Smart Home