LPWAN radio module enables large-scale IoT deployments for smart cities networks

Libelium has released a new radio module designed to bring LoRa Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) wireless connectivity to Waspmote Internet of Things (IoT) sensors for applications that require low-energy, long-range data transmission on a large scale.

Libelium’s LoRaWAN radio module is fully integrated with the Waspmote sensor platform and is also available as an upgrade for all existing Waspmote sensor devices. The Waspmote Plug & Sense! devices offer easy network configuration for smart cities applications to monitor environmental factors, noise pollution, water quality, as well as parking, and smart lighting applications. Paired with Libelium’s LoRaWAN module, Waspmote Plug & Sense! received CE marking in November 2015, making it the first horizontal sensor platform certified for use in Europe.

The companies note that protocols known as Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) are accelerating smart city and IoT deployments in Europe, Asia, and North America. Semtech’s open LoRaWAN standard is the backbone for many IoT uses that require bidirectional data communication and geolocation information. The Libelium LoRaWAN sensors send information to base stations in the field, and have successfully completed tests on Kerlink LoRa base stations for 868 MHz bands operating in Europe, on the 900 MHz band for the U.S., and for the 433 MHz band connectivity used in China, Japan and Korea.

"Waspmote sensor nodes are extremely energy efficient, intended for massive deployments in cities and the industrial IoT,” said David Gascón, Libelium's CTO and co-founder. “Our sensor platform is a perfect fit for purpose-built LoRaWAN, designed to carry complex data that characterizes smart cities applications, thereby enabling connectivity for the billions of devices and sensors predicted for the IoT.”

The Libelium LoRaWAN radio module supports 868 MHz band (Europe); 433 MHz band (China, Japan, Korea), and will feature 900 MHz band support in 2016 (North America). Many smart cities and industrial IoT applications require low bandwidth data transmission over distances, both indoors and outdoors, often in areas of high electromagnetic interference. The Waspmote Plug & Sense! sensors and the Libelium LoRaWAN radio module received CE marking on the 868 MHz band. Certifications for the U.S. version are currently in progress. An embedded radio module in Waspmote sensor nodes sends information directly to base stations. The module enables a fast response, and simple, immediate network set-up to connect devices to the LoRaWAN IoT network.

Libelium is a member of the LoRa Alliance, and is building an ecosystem with partners providing LoRaWAN solutions that are compatible with Waspmote. In addition to Kerlink gateway compatibility as a turnkey solution, the Waspmote LoRaWAN sensors offer out-of-the-box connectivity with Actility, and network deployment and management capability with Loriot and Orbiwise backends.