How to Choose an IoT Protocol?

The IoT protocol is the networking language used by the nodes of an IoT system and is critical to the overall viability of the deployment. The agreement specifies the scope, format, and complexity of IoT solution communications and plays a major role in determining cost and functionality. Therefore, how to choose a suitable protocol is very important. There are two main continuums to consider:

• Power: Will the sensors need to be in the field on battery power for days, months, or years? How often do they need to report? Are disposable devices considered, or will replaceable or rechargeable batteries be used?
• Connectivity: What area does the communication have to cover, and how much data does each message need to send? Will the cellular service provider be able to maintain your connectivity, or do you want to keep your own network and the data running on it?

Where the needs of IoT deployments fall along these continuities will often indicate which protocols they should consider and the expected costs. The smallest and least demanding IoT setup for a connected home or office can run on a normal Wi-Fi network with all components powered continuously. Other options for close-proximity connectivity are Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth.
Each technology has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of power, range, and cost. Модуль 4G
For larger areas like farms, campuses, or cities that require small batch data transfers, standalone Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) are the perfect answer - LoRaWAN and SigFox are the two most popular LPWANs. When talking about coverage areas and crossing borders, cellular protocols like NB-IoT or Cat-M may seem increasingly practical.
Let's examine specific use cases for LPWAN and cellular IoT deployments to help understand which option will provide future IoT benefits and growth.
Use LPWAN to run an optimized local area network
If you manage large-scale projects such as construction projects, turnarounds at oil refineries, or any similar operation that requires tracking people, equipment, and hazardous situations across expansive sites, then you may have considered launching your own IoT deployment. Maybe you run a factory or warehouse; maybe you oversee a ranch or other agricultural area; maybe you own a large school or a government campus. In all of these industries, IoT appears to hold promise for lasting business impact - creating more efficient processes, saving money, and generating new revenue. LPWAN usually makes the most sense for networks that connect areas larger than a single small building.
If you deploy an LPWAN like LoRaWAN instead of connecting to cellular IoT, you will most likely pay the same or less and will have more elements in your deployment. While cost-benefit models will vary depending on your business model, LPWANs typically provide you with a dedicated area network for the coverage area you need: you own all the devices, the network, and the data that travels over the network. When a cellular network goes down or a cell tower goes down, you don't have to worry about failing your IoT deployment or waiting for your provider to fix it.
If you install your own LPWAN, you are responsible for monitoring, support, maintenance, and repairs in the event of a problem. You must also decide how to secure the network. For these reasons, it is highly recommended that you deploy an LPWAN where the entire solution should be packaged together. That means sensors, gateways, clouds, and applications created by one company, not a patchwork. The benefit of this is that everything will be pre-integrated and designed to work securely together, and you'll always know who to contact when support and maintenance are required.
Another notable difference is that, unlike cellular packets, LPWAN transports do not always wait for an acknowledgment of receipt. This has both benefits and responsibilities: you get more traffic on the system without confirmation, but sometimes due to network congestion you will lose data points.
In addition, LoRa and LoRaWAN can also achieve wireless network support on a wide range of projects, with better versatility and prospects. Over 500 leading technology companies have joined the LoRa Alliance. LoRa technology continues to evolve to meet changing IoT approaches and new use cases.
Harnessing Remote IoT with Cellular Protocols
Imagine your responsibility to serve hospitals, retailers, airports, or other businesses citywide or statewide, and profit from a consistent, clear view of your shipments. Or, say you're involved in disaster preparedness or environmental monitoring and need to analyze information from a network of sensors and data sources across regions. Maybe you run a rental company and have a way to keep track of your equipment and vehicles in an unexpectedly vast space. In these use cases and more, cellular IoT can be a game-changer for collecting data from far-flung endpoints. The cellular protocol will bring IoT discussions to people who operate at scale or in areas where gateways cannot be legally or logically established. GPS-модуль
While other technologies may emerge and gain a foothold in still-developing markets, the two protocols that seem to hold the largest market share and are the most discussed are Cat-M and NB-IoT.
Of the two, the Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is more battery efficient and may be available at a lower subscription price. It provides low-power communication and data size that more closely matches LoRa profiles, making cross-sensor compatibility simpler for IoT providers looking to cover both LPWAN and cellular use cases.
Instead, Cat-M will allow for higher data rates and low-latency communications, which will be critical if a user needs to collect large files from his or her IoT device or push large updates through the pipeline to IoT endpoints. Cat-M will allow low-quality speech and will be used more in truly real-time applications such as smart vehicles.
Cellular IoT protocols provide a way to leverage IoT data at a regional, national, or even transcontinental scale without the need for pre-built gateways to create coverage. Instead, the provider's already existing base stations will transmit IoT data. This also means that your IoT will have the same blind spots as cellular networks, and if the network connection is interrupted (due to maintenance, order restrictions, emergencies, or other reasons), your IoT will also collapse. However, ease of deployment and coverage often outweigh the costs and limitations of relying on a cellular provider.