Performance Evaluation of Propagation Models for LoRaWAN in an Urban Environment

Low-Power, Wide-Area Networks (LPWAN) are projected to support a significant number of devices within the Internet of Things (IoT). Long-Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) is an open specification and emerging LPWAN connectivity solution for IoT platforms. However, LoRaWAN network performance in urban scenarios is an area that requires further exploration and research. In this paper, ATDI ICS Telecom is used to investigate LoRaWAN radio network coverage at 868 MHz using the Okumura-Hata, COST-231 Hata, Extended Hata, and ITU-R 1225 propagation models. The simulation results are compared with real test data collected in the urban environment of Glasgow City to evaluate various propagation models. The proposed work demonstrates ITU R 1225 and Extended Hata over-estimated the real measured received signal strength power whereas, COST-231 Hata and Okumura-Hata under-estimated the same signal power. Our results and analysis give essential insights into the performance, evaluation, and comparison of existing propagation models for IoT connectivity with LoRaWAN technology within an urban environment.