Expert choice cellular
Cellular also provides for a known number of connections per tower, which are actively managed behind the scenes, thus providing guarantees on service and reliability. Cellular operates in licensed bands, which dictate the performance and reliability of communication. Cellular Reliabilityĭue to the importance of cellular connections today, cellular IoT protocols can take advantage of existing performance characteristics. Cellular keeps every device separate from every other device, ensuring the security of the data being transmitted. If any individual device has a security concern, all devices are at-risk.
In addition, the Notecard includes an integrated STSAFE Secure Element with hardware crypto, a hardware random number generator, and a factory-installed ECC P-384 certificate (provisioned at the time of chip manufacturing).Ĭompare this to Wi-Fi: When connected to a public Wi-Fi network, devices are sharing the connection with all other devices on the network. In the case of the Notecard, the embedded SIM is pre-provisioned to securely communicate with the Blues Wireless cloud service Notehub.io. Since cellular networks use SIM cards for authentication, it’s exceedingly difficult to spoof the identity of a device. Where these standards are not available, coverage is supplemented by UMTS/HSPA+ and GSM/GPRS/EDGE. Are you providing a solution that may either be deployed to an unknown spot in the world or move between regions? As cellular IoT projects move from location to location, your cellular provider must have agreements with partner carriers to facilitate seamless connectivity across regions without having to change SIMs.Įxample: The Notecard from Blues Wireless connects to 135 (and counting) countries globally on LTE-M, NB-IoT, and Cat-1 networks. You’re simply connecting to the cell towers that are already in place.Ĭellular roaming is another consideration. There is no need to build new infrastructure nor add additional network gateways to support remote deployments. Let’s dive into some of these benefits: Global Cellular Coverageįor global IoT deployments, cellular connectivity is widely considered the most logical and reliable connection option. When it comes to security, coverage, and usability, it’s hard to compete with cellular. Low/No power: Cellular modules can consume ~8mA of power and networks are still available in the case of a power outage.Installation: Works out-of-the-box without requiring local installation or technical expertise.Security: SIM-based authentication and utilization of VPN tunnels makes cellular the most secure option.Global Reach: There is no other network technology with the reach of cellular.Coverage: Cellular networks are ubiquitous, mature, and reliable.The advantages of utilizing cellular connectivity with the Internet of Things are extensive:
#Expert choice cellular series
In this blog series we are demystifying cellular and taking a critical look at four key topics related to wireless in the Internet of Things:
or need a reliable and secure connection.īuilding on top of decades of global infrastructure, cellular should be a topĬonsideration when it comes to picking the best IoT network connectivity.require a redundant offsite network gateway,.The rest of us, though, may be actively implementing IoT solutions that: While for others building stationary solutions with easy access to wired Ethernet, that connection method is equally a given. For many, Wi-Fi is an obvious choice when high bandwidth is a requirement. IoT developers and the businesses that support them have a vested interest in using the best network connectivity option available (both from the developer experience and expense angles).