Currently several LPWAN technologies exist; for example Sigfox, LoRa, NB-IoT, and Wi-Fi HaLow. Among them, Sigfox is gaining momentum in various regions across the globe.
More and more, projects such as smart city or smart parking employ the so-called low-power wide area network (LPWAN) technology where small amounts of data are transmitted over long distances between low-power, battery-operated devices. Currently several LPWAN technologies exist, for example Sigfox, LoRa, NB-IoT, and Wi-Fi HaLow. Among them, Sigfox is gaining momentum in various regions across the globe and is seeking to expand its influence in Asia.
“Currently Sigfox is deployed in 32 countries in the world, and it’s targeting to reach 60 countries by 2018,” said Nicolas Baele, Global Solutions Specialist at UnaBiz, the network operator of Sigfox in Taiwan and Singapore. “For Asia, it already has a presence in Taiwan, Singapore and Japan, and soon it will also make its way into the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia.” UnaBiz was an exhibitor at Computex earlier in June.
As Sigfox’s network operator, UnaBiz deploys and maintains Sigfox base stations. According to Baele, Sigfox is now being deployed in Taiwan on a trial basis, and UnaBiz is seeking a commercial license from Taiwan’s National Communications Commission to officially begin operation on the island and deploy more base stations – each capable of covering 20 kilometers on average. “Right now we have about 10 base stations in Taiwan, and already 30 to 40 percent of the population has been covered,” Baele said.
Currently many LPWAN technologies exist, and Sigfox stands out with its ease-of-use features, Baele said. Once the device, for example a water meter or temperature sensor, picks up a Sigfox signal from the nearest base station it will begin transmitting data. “Whereas in other technologies you need to set up gateways and require customers to do extra pairing, the Sigfox network has been set up nationally and internationally. The end customer doesn’t need to worry about coverage,” Baele said. “It’s public and global. You can buy a device in Taiwan and use it in Mexico, without any setup or pairing. It works on the same plan and there’s no roaming fee.”
Low power consumption is another hallmark of Sigfox. “A typical GPS tracker that runs on 3G or 4G has battery life of five to seven days. For Sigfox, it can last from two months to a year based on the frequency of usage,” he said.
While Sigfox offers these advantages, Baele said choosing the right technology ultimately depends on the user’s own needs and objectives, adding that Sigfox has a range of applications from city surveillance to smart metering, smart parking and remote monitoring of the elderly.