There’s no denying the connectivity world is shifting. 2G and 3G services are being phased out by networks, and their replacements are sitting right under our noses.

Low-power, wide area networks (LPWAN) are on the rise, and it’s time to jump on that bandwagon with over 50% of IoT connections expected to use their services by 2025.

And Kaleido Intelligence predicts cellular LPWAN will generate $2.3 billion in recurring connectivity revenue by 2027—it’s clear they can no longer be ignored as a valid, and profitable option for IoT connectivity.

Join us on a deep dive into what LPWAN is, its benefits, and its use cases.

LPWANs, as is in the name, are a group of wireless technologies that helps deliver IoT connectivity using little power, while covering a wide range at high efficiency levels and low costs.

Some might wonder what use that kind of technology might have in our modern, fast-paced world, but there’s plenty of bite behind LPWAN’s bark.

It’s best unleashed at low-end IoT applications that are cost-sensitive and:

Your customers will hate having to consistently overpay for high amounts of data they’re not using on hundreds, if not thousands of devices. And they’ll also hate having to consistently go out into the field to replace the batteries of their devices because of high power usage. Plus, poor signal will be an obstacle that needs to be overcome too.

LPWAN tech puts an end to it all.

There are many types of tech that fall under the LPWAN umbrella but it can be broken down into two sides—unlicensed services like Sigfox and LoRa, and licensed services like LTE-M and NB-IoT.

We should all know by now that the PSTN switch-off is already underway and set to be completed by 2025. And the focus has largely been on migrating devices to fibre or 4G and 5G.

However, not all devices have the same needs. And with the 2G and 3G sunset on the horizon, there are even more devices that don’t have a suitable home.

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The variety of LPWAN tech means it can be used for a range of solutions. Broadly speaking LPWAN can be split into tech that offers high latency but low speeds, or low latency but high speeds.

High latency and low speeds can work for solutions that need information from things like meters, environmental monitoring, or farming, at the most optimal price point.

Low latency and high speeds suit solutions that need information for things like retail payments, e-healthcare, or asset management.

Depending on the tech used, some of these latencies and speeds can mean it’ll match 2G and even 3G’s performance levels. And on the other side of the coin, LPWAN can offer a great alternative for hard-to-reach areas in dense areas or over large ranges.