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LoRa Range Testing in San Francisco

blog.beepnetworks.com

61–65 of 65 posts

Re: LoRa Range Testing in San Francisco

#61
post #44
post #42

Is it still the case that LoRa is a single vendor proprietary technology? When I looked into it a bit it seemed like only Semtech produced LoRa chips and that it wasn't an open standard like 802.11, so it is unlikely that we will see offers from other vendors.

I believe Microchip licensed the IP from Semtech and has made their own chips: http://www.microchip.com/design-centers/wireless-connectivit...

there will be also microcontrollers from ST incorporating LoRa soon

Re: LoRa Range Testing in San Francisco

#63
post #18
post #10

There are limitation to do with the Duty Cycles in LoRa networks which we've found inhibits certain real time applications. It effectively limits the number of "messages" you can send during a specific time frame.

Shawn from Beep here. Are you referring to LoRaWAN networks specifically? I'm always down to talk wireless schemes. Hit me up (email in my profile). We go beyond LoRaWAN with our own protocol for some use cases. For those following along: LoRa is a wireless encoding technique (PHY layer), LoRaWAN is a protocol for how a large group of devices should structure their packets (MAC layer).

what SF and bandwidth were you using for the range tests? what packet lengths?

Re: LoRa Range Testing in San Francisco

#64
post #60
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey what are your thoughts on sigfox? They got an investment from Samsung who are apparently integrating into their devices. Will this play out like vhs vs betamax?

the overall verdict from Lora alliance members on Sigfox is that they are big on words but small on revenue or customers. add grain of salt

~~Disclaimer : Sigfox employee ~~

Big on words, but not speaking about others ;)

I'd suggest anyone interested in LPWAN (be it Sigfox, LoraWAN or else) to get its own idea by field testing. Talk is cheap. Sigfox coverage is available in 25 countries, including some large US cities (SF, NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, ..) http://www.sigfox.com/coverage

Get in touch if interested by more info about Sigfox, solutions for developers, etc.. http://makers.sigfox.com

Re: LoRa Range Testing in San Francisco

#65
post #22

I'd like to see how it does in rural areas. There's a gap in the market for GPS horse trackers because you can't count on any particular communications network, unless you use licensed amateur radio APRS.

I'd be interested in near-shore(a few miles out and cell service is unusable/you don't have a high thoroughput requirement). There are plenty of "nearish" ocean applications that could benefit from an extended range without requiring iridium(where packet costs can be a killer).

What ocean application are you talking about?
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