This article analyzes the possible causes of the current situation, and also provides a way to solve the problems that led to this.
Also, like many, we have succumbed to the fascination of the concept of the Internet of Things. In particular LoRa. Only after some time, having spent a fair amount of time and resources, some shortcomings of the existing paradigm of implementation and implementation of solutions based on the LoRa wireless interface appeared. Most likely, similar technologies also have these disadvantages.
In general, wireless LPWAN communication networks repeat the paradigm of wireless networks deployment, which has developed among cellular operators, namely: deployment of a network of base stations on their own or leased towers. This approach is justified in the case when it is critically important to provide continuous communication coverage of the entire city territory without blind spots, since cellular subscribers are constantly moving around the city. The quality of service directly depends on this. If the subscriber is not satisfied with the quality of mobile communication and the speed of the Internet connection with this operator, then he simply connects to another operator. As a result, cellular operators go to the continuous carpet of agglomeration clusters with a dense network of base stations, regardless of the costs of deploying new stations and their further maintenance.The widespread ubiquity of mobile communications among the population gives operators reason to believe that the network will be profitable in any case. In addition, wireless Internet traffic is growing steadily, gaining market share from home Internet providers.
Many operators of LPWAN networks (LoRaWAN in particular), who followed the same path (carpeting of megalopolises), fell into a trap in the expectation that the number of end devices being put into operation would grow rapidly. The optimistic predictions that the annual growth will be exponential did not come true. Practice has shown that, although there is a place to increase, it is not as rapid as expected. As a result, operators are faced with the fact that the network deployed throughout the country is practically not loaded. Those. idle, generating losses.
The question arises of reducing operating costs. First of all, thoughtless expansion into new regions and settlements stops. Attempts are being made to share the same base stations by a group of operators. There is a transition to focal introduction of new network segments only in those territories where the introduction of new arrays of end devices is expected. For example, when introducing smart water / electricity / heat / gas meters in a separate residential complex of new buildings, the base station is installed on the roof of any one high-rise building to avoid the need for rent payments, as it would be if the station was installed on a tower.
This approach can significantly reduce the costs of network deployment. Indeed, counters, once installed, do not move anywhere during operation. Accordingly, there is no need to provide a continuous coating. And since the most successful implementation of LoRaWAN networks at the moment is observed precisely in the field of housing and communal services, we can safely say that focal implementation of communication is enough if the LPWAN communication operator wants to find a compromise between the speed of network growth and containment of costs for its maintenance , balancing on the brink of payback in the worst case, and at best, reaching payback and making a profit from the very first days of network operation.
Are there other ways to reduce the cost of deploying a LoRaWAN network? Since housing and communal services is the most actively developing area of implementation of LPWAN solutions, further in the text we will focus on this area.
Let's take a look at a typical residential complex.
Developers, seeking to maximize profits, build a maximum number of square meters of living space on the minimum area of the city limits. This is achieved by increasing the number of storeys in new buildings and increasing the building density. This approach is supported by the administration, since the length of public utilities and transport communications decreases, i.e. the costs of ensuring the life of the city are reduced.
Proceeding from this, if we are talking about the implementation of an LPWAN solution in a separate residential complex (it does not matter if it is a new building or a “secondary” complex), the idea of placing a BS not on the roof of one of the buildings, but at a point geometrically equidistant from all buildings to be equipped LoRaWAN end devices. If we are talking about an LCD built in the form of a ring with a courtyard, then placing the base station right in the center of the yard makes it possible to get the distance from the base station to any of the terminal devices within 100-200 meters! In this case, most of the space will be open!
Note the one-story buildings marked with red arrows. These are 0.4 kV transformer stations. They can be found in almost any multi-storey residential building. Placing the BS on the roofs of these stations (or inside) will achieve the following:
- . SX1301 SX1257, LoRaWAN, .
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- achieve scalability of the solution, since there is no need to negotiate each installation with the owner of the building chosen for the installation of the BS. It is enough only once to reach an agreement with a branch of IDGC in a given territory on the procedure for introducing an electronic module (BS LoRaWAN) into a transformer substation (TP) located near the implementation object (residential building). Boxed solution.
Walls and access doors of high-rise buildings can be other infrastructure objects. Surveillance cameras, intercoms, access systems in parking lots with a built-in LoRaWAN base station can also reduce the cost of installing the base station and its maintenance costs, while providing a wide signal reception angle from LoRaWAN end devices located in buildings opposite and the distance to them is no more than 100 meters.
A full LoRaWAN base station costs about 20,000 rubles. In addition to it, you have to buy a high-quality antenna worth 4000 rubles. Even if the base station is not mounted on a tower, but on the roof of a building, the installation costs from 15,000 rubles. An electronic LoRaWAN module built into an outdoor surveillance camera or an intercom will cost less than a full-fledged BS. The distance of 100-200 meters to the end devices allows you to get by with a cheap antenna costing 100 rubles instead of 4000. Installation of an outdoor surveillance camera / intercom costs 1500 rubles.
Thus, we tend to believe that the use of integrated LoRaWAN networks, when base stations are integrated into the existing infrastructure of the city (devices used in cities), will dramatically reduce the cost of deploying a private LoRaWAN network, its maintenance costs. The process of implementing solutions based on this technology will speed up due to the fact that the deployment of their own LoRaWAN network will become available to small companies with a much smaller available budget without having to maintain a planned loss-making network.
Perhaps our idea is described more clearly in this video: