COMPLEMENTARY TECHNOLOGIES: LoRaWAN
®
& BLUETOOTH
www.lora-alliance.org 2
When integrating with Bluetooth, for instance, LoRaWAN
builds Bluetooth's strengths by mitigating the challenges
of Bluetooth technology's short range, high capital costs,
and dependency on cloud networking, thereby enabling
massive, affordable scaling that incorporates preferred
Bluetooth features. Field operators can use applications on
their phones to connect to meters and other measurement
tools. LoRaWAN-BLE bridges dramatically expand the
range of sensing devices as well as their battery life.
Network servers connected to a LoRaWAN gateway can
upload data locally without relying upon the internet.
Bluetooth sensors become an even more feasible solution
when LoRaWAN capabilities are added to them.
Feature Bluetooth LoRaWAN
Widely understood by
non-technical users
X
User-friendly via app-based
management
X
Low latency X
Supports high bandwidth needed
for configuration & application
X
Able to withstand RF interference X X
Secure X X
Long-range X
Low capital expense X
Low operational expense X
CAPEX
BLE Sensors $
BLE Gateway $$$$
BATTERY
RANGE
Short
Typical Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) Solution
How can you affordably scale
Bluetooth (BLE) IoT solutions?
BLE SENSORS BLE GATEWAYS
Extend
Battery Life
Expand
Range
N
E
E
D
S
Expand #
of Devices
The diagram below illustrates how LoRaWAN can complement Bluetooth
using bridges between the technologies. The case studies that follow
demonstrate real-life implementations of these solutions.