With the evolution of technology, the interactivity between users today overloads operators' networks, which handle a massive amount of data being transferred every second. If this balance between data and infrastructure was already a challenge for these companies, the scenario continues to grow increasingly complex. Now, we are on the verge of facing the integration of the IoT (Internet of Things) into everyone's daily lives.
Despite ongoing debate about the need to implement the next generation of cellular networks, 5G, as part of the strategy to mass-produce IoT, mobile infrastructure manufacturers are already incorporating some of this technology into existing networks. In 2016, 3GPP (the global entity responsible for standardizing mobile technologies) defined and standardized an extension for low-power wide area (LPWA) networks that enables IoT devices to connect directly to 3G and 4G cellular networks. The three LPWA technology variations standardized by 3GPP are NB-IoT (narrowband IoT), LTE Cat M1 or LTE-M, and EC-GSM (extended coverage GSM).
This move stems from operators' understanding that they can and should leverage their existing investments in 3G and 4G networks to offer a new service in addition to voice and mobile data services. This would be a first step, until long-term business cases justify a migration to next-generation networks, which are still necessary for the widespread adoption of IoT devices connected to cellular networks, especially those with very stringent requirements for response time, availability, and bandwidth.
The technology available today allows thousands of connected IoT devices to communicate within a single cell (cellular network), but with a narrower bandwidth. NB-IoT, for example, allows connections of up to 250 kbps (peak) and LTE-M of 1 Mbps (peak), which could support a range of new applications such as sensors used in agriculture, electricity, gas, and water consumption meters, sensors for medical applications, and more.
Furthermore, other advantages of investing in the installation of these technologies and adapting networks to receive them include the fact that the market is already moving in favor of this trend. Several operators have already announced investments and the availability of coverage on their networks to offer IoT connectivity services on licensed spectrum networks. We are also supporting the expansion and growth of this type of service on unlicensed spectrum networks (outside of cellular networks), such as the French company Sigfox.
In the long term, the transition to 5G will enable new use cases for IoT, some of which are still in the testing phase, such as those that require high connection reliability and greater bandwidth in the operation of drones, cars or even remote medical equipment, for example.
By Luiz Cesar Oliveira, Viavi VP for Latin America
