LoRa Connectivity Made Smarter with Low-power, Front-end Modules

LoRa, short for long range, is a low-power wide-area networking (LPWAN) technology operating in unlicensed ISM bands that is rapidly gaining traction within the internet of things (IoT). Devices deployed on LoRaWAN networks follow the LoRaWAN protocol specification as defined by the LoRa Alliance®, a technology alliance of more than 500 members. LoRaWAN-based IoT devices are expected to grow substantially in the next five years. According to ABI Research, unlicensed LPWAN connections are forecasted to grow from 305 million units in 2021 to 844 million units by 2026, a compounded annual growth rate of 23%.

Using a proprietary, chirp-based spread spectrum modulation technique, and operating primarily in unlicensed sub-1 GHz frequency bands (Figure 1), LoRa enables edge devices to connect to the cloud over long ranges while consuming very little power. This reduces the cost and power consumption for cloud-connected devices within a LoRaWAN network and serves as a complementary wireless connectivity technology to cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.