New ETSI Specification for IoT and M2M Low Throughput Networks
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute's (ETSI) standardization group dedicated to Low Throughput Networks technology has just released the first three specifications of an Internet of Things (IoT) network dedicated to low throughput communications. These new requirements provide a breakthrough in the machine-to-machine (M2M) business, allowing object connection for a few euros per year, with a few milliwatts for transmission and a modem costing less than 1 euro. The key to the success of IoT standardization and implementation, these assumptions are the basis for many new and innovative applications.
Low Throughput Network (LTN) technology is a wide area bidirectional wireless network with key differentiators compared to existing networks. It enables long-range data transmission (distances around 40 km in open field) and/or communication with buried underground equipment and operates with minimal power consumption allowing several years of operation even with standard batteries. This technology also implements advanced signal processing that provides effective protection against interference.
As a consequence, LTN is particularly well suited for low throughput M2M communication where data volume is limited and low latency is not a strong requirement. Applications include remote measurement, smart metering for water, gas or electricity distribution or smart cities applications such as air pollution monitoring or public lighting. LTN could also cooperate with cellular networks to address use cases where redundancy, complementary or alternative connectivity is needed.
Providing connections to the billions of connected objects projected to form part of M2M and the IoT networks is a major challenge. A great number of these objects need only low throughput connectivity, but they also require an efficient connection that is both cost effective and low energy-consuming.
LTN IoT networks have a similar topology to existing networks used for high data rates and dynamically adapt power and frequency in the same way, but will also manage new requirements concerning power consumption and the number of base stations required to cover an entire country. Low power, very low throughput, long battery life, simple, effective and robust radio communication principles are the key features of the first ETSI LTN specifications. The three new ETSI group specifications defining LTN are GS LTN 001 containing the use cases, GS LTN 002 describing the functional architecture and GS LTN 003 defining the protocols and interfaces.
