LPWAN in the Context of 5G: Capability of LoRaWAN to Contribute to mMTC

A considerable amount of massive Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications that intend to connect a wide range of low-complexity IoT devices are pushing the digital revolution and making an interconnected daily life a reality. However, especially in the connectivity sector, a holistic technical solution seems unlikely. In this regard, future 5G networks aim at unified connectivity with an ambitious node density of 1,000,000 devices per square kilometer in the area of 5G massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC). In this regard, this work aims at analyzing the capability of LoRaWAN as a complementary solution in unlicensed frequency bands to contribute to given 5G requirements for specific mMTC applications in large-scale deployments. The performance evaluation indicates limited downlink capabilities due to regulatory requirements defined for the 868 MHz short-range device (SRD) frequency band, but at the same time depicts that the uplink can cover approximately 10% of the 5G mMTC connection density objective. Hence, LoRaWAN indicates a high potential to contribute to 5G mMTC application areas, especially for non-time-critical sensor use cases without or even with low Quality of Service (QoS) requirements.