Communication technology has been the most talked-about topic in the Internet of Things (IoT) industry over the past few years. Whether it is the currently popular LPWAN technology or an evolution of existing technologies such as 5G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Zigbee, it can attract the attention of the entire industry.
The main reasons why communication technology is so important are as follows:
On the one hand, it occupies a core and irreplaceable position in the Internet of Things (IoT) industry. On the other hand, it plays a crucial role in connecting upstream and downstream, enabling upstream connections to products such as sensors and downstream connections to terminal products and industry applications. It is a very important breakthrough for enterprises to enter the IoT business.
On the other hand, communication technology, as a fundamental technology, is crucial for IoT products and solutions. Currently, the homogenization of hardware product functions is a very common phenomenon; for example, products like smartwatches and fitness trackers have similar functions on the market. However, improvements in communication technology can enable the addition of richer features to these products.
The value of communication technology for Internet of Things applications
The Internet of Things (IoT) applications are highly fragmented, and communication technology, as a fundamental technology, also needs to be optimized to meet the needs of IoT. Below, we analyze the value that communication technology plays in some of the more important IoT applications.
Meter reading
Remote meter reading is a popular Internet of Things (IoT) application, especially given the increasing emphasis on energy and resources in today's society. Therefore, the aim is to leverage the intelligence of meters such as water meters, electricity meters, and gas meters to manage users and energy consumption with more accurate data and information, thereby enabling users to achieve efficient resource use and energy conservation and emission reduction.
Traditional meter reading methods face several problems:
Residential users are very scattered, requiring a large amount of manpower for on-site meter reading;
Door-to-door meter reading is a major nuisance and causes inconvenience to residents' lives;
Manual meter reading is prone to errors, leading to inaccurate measurement data.
Manual meter reading cannot provide accurate data, which is not conducive to monitoring the pipeline network, making it impossible to detect leaks in a timely manner, and easily leading to production and sales discrepancies;
Users face difficulties paying their bills, as they have to wait in long lines.
It is relatively difficult for water and gas companies to collect fees;
......
Therefore, remotely making meters intelligent through IoT technology not only facilitates the daily management of public utilities, but also has high economic and social benefits.
Currently, low-power wide-area network technologies such as NB-IoT and LoRa are well-suited for meter reading. In areas with dense operator base station coverage, NB-IoT can provide excellent connectivity, while in areas with poor operator network coverage, a LoRa+NB-IoT solution better meets application needs. Furthermore, some companies on the market are also using Zigbee+NB-IoT and wired+wireless solutions based on the specific needs of project clients.
Currently, most domestic communication module manufacturers are involved in meter reading-related businesses. Among them, NB-IoT module manufacturers such as Quectel Wireless Solutions, SIMCom, and Unimicron Technology regard meter reading as an important business direction. In addition, companies such as Yonda, Huatong, Anmeton, and Hangzhou Luowan are also deeply involved in the application of LoRa in the meter reading field.
security field
Security is a major application market for the Internet of Things (IoT) because security is always a basic human need. Currently, the most important security areas in the IoT market are video surveillance and smoke alarm monitoring.
Video security systems require large amounts of data and low latency, so most video surveillance in cities currently uses wired connections. However, for monitoring remote areas and mobile objects, wireless technologies such as 4G are necessary. In the fire alarm application market, the requirements are quite different. This field demands communication technologies with long transmission distances, low power consumption, and stable connections, making technologies like NB-IoT and LoRa highly suitable.
In the security field, companies such as Longsung Technology, Chipcomm, Quectel Wireless Solutions, Broadcom, Shengzhe Technology, and Haoxiang Intelligent have a wide range of products and complete solutions. In addition, the three major domestic telecom operators are also actively expanding this application market. Driven by the operators, security applications are being rapidly implemented.
Smart City
Smart cities are a major infrastructure project that the country has invested heavily in in recent years. Their construction requires the use of various Internet of Things (IoT) products and technologies. Therefore, smart cities are currently the most important application market for IoT.
Smart cities encompass a wide variety of projects, each with different application requirements. Therefore, the environments faced by various smart city network nodes vary considerably. For example, applications like streetlights, trash cans, and shared bicycles operate in relatively ideal physical environments, where network requirements are primarily focused on lower power consumption and higher connectivity. NB-IoT and eMTC networks from operators are well-suited for these applications. However, scenarios like parking lots, basements, and manhole covers demand higher network penetration. LoRa or a combination of LoRa and NB-IoT can be used depending on the project's specific needs. Of course, if additional positioning and management functions are required, technologies such as RFID and Bluetooth need to be combined with LPWAN transmission technology.
In the field of smart cities, many telecommunications companies, such as Huawei, ZTE, Meig Smart, Xiamen Qijun, Shanghai Quectel, and Zero Zero Robotics, have a wealth of application cases.
Connected Vehicles
Because of their high added value, widespread user acceptance, and high market penetration, automobiles have always been a very important application area for electronic information products. The greatest impact of IoT communication functions on automobiles lies in three aspects:
Conduct remote asset management;
Video surveillance inside public transportation vehicles;
Add functionality to the in-vehicle entertainment system.
The communication technology solutions required for different levels of vehicle networking vary considerably. For vehicle asset management, GPS+GSM or GPS+NB-IoT solutions are more suitable. For video surveillance, LTE networks are required, while in-vehicle entertainment systems require LTE networks and future 5G communication technologies.
In the field of connected vehicles, it is a battleground for almost all technology companies, with communication companies such as Gosuncn Technology, SIMCom, U-blox, Telite, and Shenzhen Hongdian all making it their main business direction.
Industrial sector
The industrial sector has a huge market size and is also a very important application area for the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT in the industrial sector is mainly reflected in three aspects:
Monitor the machinery and equipment in the factory;
Manage factory operators;
Monitor the factory environment.
A mature solution for monitoring industrial equipment is fieldbus + wireless transmission. Wireless transmission may also be used separately depending on the specific needs of the project. Personnel management is carried out using GPS, RFID, video surveillance, etc. The factory environment mainly collects information such as temperature, humidity, and smoke detection, so LPWAN technology is more suitable for transmission.
In general, the application scenarios in factories are quite complex, basically covering all application scenarios of IoT communication technologies. Communication companies such as Human IoT, Lubangtong, Shanghai Quectel, and Youfang Technology have relatively rich products and experience in this field.
