Understanding the Limits of LoRaWAN

International audienceLow-Power Wide Area Networking (LPWAN) technologyoffers long-range communication, which enables new typesof services. Several solutions exist; LoRaWAN is arguablethe most adopted. It promises ubiquitous connectivity inoutdoor IoT applications, while keeping network structures,and management, simple. This technology has received a lotof attention in recent months from network operators andsolution providers. Yet, the technology has limitations thatneed to be clearly understood to avoid inflated expectationsand disillusionment. This article provides an impartial andfair overview of what the capabilities and the limitations ofLoRaWAN are. We discuss those in the context of use cases,and list open research and development questions