What is Cellular Connectivity In IoT?

Are you considering cellular connectivity for an IoT project? Just want to know how it all works. This article on cellular IoT will get you up to speed.

Cellular Phone Technology - A Brief History:

1. Origin: The concept emerged in 1947 with an internal memo at Bell Labs.
2. First network: Launched in Japan in 1979, this 1G network was analog and limited in coverage.
3. Digital revolution: 2G digital networks launched in 1991, fostering competition and wider adoption.
4. MOSFET technology: Key to enabling the transition from analog to digital networks.

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What Is Cellular IoT?

Cellular IoT is a way of connecting physical things (like sensors) to the internet by having them astraddle on the same mobile networks as smartphones. Its infrastructural simplicity combined with the dawn of 5G positions cellular IoT as a strong player in the connectivity space.

Do you know what are the types of Cellular IoT?

2G,3G,4G, LTE,4G,5G, cellular modem, and embedded SIM(eSIM) are the types of cellular networks. Cellular LP-WAN networks include LTE-M (Long Term Evolution for Machines) and NB-IoT(Narrowband Internet of Things ), designed to cover long ranges that can be measured in kilometers. Both consume low power and have great coverage and entry but differ in cost, uplink and downlink speeds, and roaming capability.?

How Does Cellular IoT Work?

Cellular devices transmit data using specific frequencies in the electromagnetic range, similar to radio stations. To avoid interference, cellular networks use towers operating on slightly different frequencies. Each cell, served by a tower, varies in size based on user density, with massively populated areas having smaller cells. As users move between cells, their connections seamlessly transition from tower to tower, known as a "handoff." This system is very important to both cellular networks and cellular IoT.

Components Of Cellular IoT:

There are three components of cellular IoT:

• IoT Sim Card
• Chipset / Module
• Cellular Modem
• Frequency Band?

Benefits of Cellular IoT:

What are the benefits of Cellular IoT technology? Here are five of them:

1. Extensive Coverage
2. Cost-saving
3. Simple infrastructure
4. Improved productivity
5. Internet access in remote locations
6. Remote Management
7. Flexibility in Connectivity
8. Greater Security

What are the Business Benefits of Cellular IoT?

Cellular IoT holds many benefits for businesses considering an IoT deployment, particularly if the devices will be mobile or positioned in remote areas where Wi-Fi coverage may not be dependable. Let’s drill down on a few of those benefits.

• Built-In Authentication
• Large Coverage Area
• Reliability
• Better Security
• Analytics
• Efficiency

Let’s discuss these advantages in some detail.

Built-In Authentication:

Large Coverage Area:

Cellular IoT utilizes existing cell networks, enabling devices to operate without being restricted to specific locations. Unlike Wi-Fi-dependent IoT devices, Cellular IoT can function even in remote areas with cell coverage. With Cellular LPWAN coverage expanding globally, NB-IoT is accessible in 29 countries and LTE-M in 24 countries, providing widespread network support for IoT applications.

Reliability:

Cellular IoT eliminates the need for a stable internet connection where devices are located, relying on cellular signals instead. This reliability is very important for the success of IoT projects, potentially determining their outcome.

Better Security:

Data sent over cellular networks is encrypted by default, offering superior security compared to Wi-Fi, where encryption may not always be reliable. This default encryption in cellular IoT networks eliminates the need for additional security measures by business leaders, ensuring data protection.

Analytics:

Cellular IoT provides strong connections for devices to gather and send data instantly, enabling businesses to use analytics effectively. For example, a company can monitor usage patterns of a health monitor to improve future updates. In smart factories, real-time cellular data from machines supports AI, predictive maintenance, and reporting.

Considerations When Choosing a Network:

Choosing the right cellular network for your IoT device depends heavily on where and how it will be used. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind.

• Bandwidth
• Range of Coverage
• Security
• Core Network Control

Why is cellular IoT expanding so much?

Cellular networks capable of facilitating massive flows of data are now widespread around the globe, so we don’t need to build any new physical infrastructure to support cellular IoT. But for a long time, cellular-enabled IoT devices used a ton of power, limiting their usefulness to applications where electricity was freely available. However, new cellular-enabled sensors can transfer reasonable amounts of data across considerable distances without draining the battery.

The Future of Cellular IoT:

In the years to come, cellular IoT will continue expanding into new industries and use cases, adding billions more connected devices. Whether you use IoT devices or not, it’s worth understanding how this pivotal technology works.

Industrial IoT applications need high and fast data transfer. With the sunset of 2G and 3G, 4G is standard but 5G is the foreseeable future for cellular IoT. 5G provides high bandwidth speeds of up to 1Gbps and is capable of sending data in real time and supporting a large number of devices. 5G is still emerging in some markets, but 5G will co-exist with LTE, LTE-M, and NB-IoT until it becomes the standard.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

According to my thought because of the upcoming generation of cellular connectivity which is “5G”, the future of cellular is very broad. The other reason for its popularity is that it is very easy to use and understand. But if the model of connectivity has a lot of benefits then on the other hand it has also some disadvantages. but which model should we select for our IoT project, it actually depends on the needs of the project.?

What are your thoughts regarding cellular connectivity?

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P.S. Do share your thoughts in the comments or “DM”? for an open discussion.

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