How 5G can help realize massive IoT

When discussing the coming 5G era, attention is often focused on the promised incredibly high speeds and low latency, as well as the ability to automate processes, vehicles, and machines. While these are undoubtedly very exciting aspects of 5G, they are certainly not the only elements of 5G.

In fact, the 5G era is divided into three different network categories, each of which contains its own features that meet different types of use cases. Before outlining these three parts, it is necessary to first define what 5G is. This article will discuss the new cellular technology specified by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a standardization cooperation organization focused on telecommunications. In the recent 3GPP version, 5G was specified, as well as other networks based on different frequency bands.

This article is part of a series about 5G and its three different areas: massive machine type communications (mMTC), enhanced mobile broadband (emBB), and ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC). Or more simply as it relates to the Internet of Things (IoT), massive IoT, critical IoT, and ultra-reliable IoT.

We are now on the cusp of seeing the 5G era explode, creating new use cases that haven’t even been thought of yet. It’s an exciting time for IoT and technology as a whole, as this enables digital transformation more effectively than ever before.

This article will focus on mMTC enabled by Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) networks and how it contributes to massive IoT.

Mobile network operators have recognised the need for LPWA networks that allow billions of devices to connect while using less power, extending their lifecycle to 12 to 15 years. They are designing these networks as part of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) era, able to co-exist with 4G and 5G, and even further towards 6G. As the ‘network of networks’ approach takes hold, a truly connected planet is on the horizon.

The other two cellular networks included in this release that are entering the 5G era are Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) and Long Term Evolution for Machine-Type Communications (LTE-M). Together, they are classified as LPWA networks.

Let’s say a farmer wants to install 500 soil sensors in his fields to best support his crops. These devices have great capabilities in changing the way farmers think about soil, but are low in sophistication in terms of typical telecom equipment. Farmers aren’t going to bury 500 high-powered devices in the soil to measure moisture and acidity. The same goes for the network connections used to connect these devices to the internet. One doesn’t need 4G LTE pulling in small bytes of data every few minutes. That would be prohibitively expensive, and the battery life would be very short.

This is where LPWA networks are important. They are designed to support these low-complexity devices that spend most of their life cycle in sleep mode. They can power on, read data, transmit very small packets to the network, and then go back to sleep mode.

When 2G and 3G networks shut down, LPWA networks will fill the gap, but with enhancements. These networks will provide accessibility suitable for a wide range of IoT solutions, such as agriculture. LPWA networks offer penetration on one hand, such as underground pipe and tank monitoring, and density on the other, such as thousands of devices in a small area. Finally, LPWA networks will provide longevity and affordability, as devices can be deployed in large numbers throughout their life cycle (10 years or more), and since they only transmit small data packets, the cost of use is very feasible.

Huge IoT opportunity

This is what Massive IoT stands for. It’s right in the name, a vast number of IoT devices will be connected to smart applications in key verticals in the form of hundreds of use cases.

What benefits can we see from connecting hundreds or thousands of devices in an IoT deployment? Going back to the agriculture example, devices can monitor not only the soil but also the air quality to help ensure crop health and nutrition. Yields can be optimized, water use can be streamlined, and overall savings can be achieved while supporting sustainability and increasing yields.

Other industries are no exception. Over the past few years, the logistics industry has been under siege, and the economy has felt the effects of supply chains under duress. With granular visibility into all touchpoints from the manufacturing floor to the channel or door, analytics and intelligence can be gained to build agility and resilience into this vital economic artery.

Manufacturing, healthcare, fleets, utilities, universities, business campuses, and more—can start with one connection and potentially build an IoT empire.

Strategy, security and stability

It’s easy to see a digitally enhanced world through the Internet of Things. But the truth is, we have the responsibility to build these solutions. Without proper measures, strategies, and thoughtful construction, the benefits of large-scale IoT cannot be realized.

With so many endpoints potentially online, the attack surface is wider and different industries have different risk appetites for security needs. Therefore, solutions should be built for the long term and have the potential to expand to avoid short-term vision. This means building resilience and security for new technologies and applications in use cases.

The Internet of Things has the power to revolutionize the world, and massive IoT is a major driver of positive change. Organizations can prepare the necessary people, platforms, devices, and even third-party providers to help achieve success.