Enterprises can choose from a range of IoT connectivity options to support their IoT deployment. Their choice will depend on use case requirements and will also be governed by factors such as cost, ecosystem support and coverage requirements (local, national or global). Some examples include:
mobile assets, which can be supported by Wi-Fi or cellular in a building (for example, a factory). If they require wide area coverage, they will use cellular networks, or possibly even satellite in remote places.
static assets, which can be supported by fixed connectivity, Wi-Fi or cellular. For example, connected intruder alarms in a residential building may use a fixed line connection (such as PSTN), a broadband/Wi-Fi connection or a cellular connection. However, static assets that are geographically dispersed (such as smart meters) may use the cellular network or alternative technologies such as Wi-SUN.
Static assets can be connected directly to a fixed or cellular network or they may use a local area network such as Wi-Fi to connect to a gateway, which then connects to the macro network.
Figure 2: IoT connectivity options
Figure 2: IoT connectivity options
Mobile assets such as cars and trucks can move between countries or static assets such as vending machines can be shipped abroad and used in a single country. Cellular technology is often used to support the connectivity requirements of these assets, especially mobile assets.