This coming 12th and 13th January, Applus+ Laboratories will welcome the ETSI Technical Committee on the standardisation of telecommunications networks for the
Internet of Things (IoT) to its Barcelona site in Spain. This working group, known as ETSI ERM TG28-LTN (Low Throughput Network), focuses on LPWAN (Low-Power Wide-Area Network) devices operating in unlicensed sub-GHz bands.
This committee brings together network operators who are leading the field in connectivity solutions for LPWAN IoT applications with manufacturers of LPWAN-connected sensors and electronic consumer devices.
Main Applus+ Laboratories contributions to date
LPWA networks are characterised by their reduced consumption and optimal energy efficiency, allowing them to provide connectivity over extended periods of time.
Since many of the elements that make up LPWA networks are powered by what are typically single-use batteries, battery life is of critical importance. In response, Applus+ is developing a testing tool capable of estimating the lifetime of an LPWAN device. This tool takes into account a range of factors including battery ageing, the device’s transmission times, bit-rate and/or throughput. This tool will help to optimise the energy efficiency of these devices as well as increase their lifetime
.
Applus+ has also classified the different types of end-point in an LPWA network (in other words, those devices found at the end of a network, which are usually acquired by consumers). Owing to the wide range of IoT applications in existence, end-point characteristics can vary greatly – for example, receivers (Downlink) only; receivers and emitters (Downlink & Uplink).