• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Electrical Engineering News and Products

Electronics Engineering Resources, Articles, Forums, Tear Down Videos and Technical Electronics How-To's

  • Products / Components
    • Analog ICs
    • Connectors
    • Microcontrollers
    • Power Electronics
    • Sensors
    • Test and Measurement
    • Wire / Cable
  • Applications
    • Automotive
    • Industrial
    • IoT
    • Medical
    • Telecommunications
    • Wearables
    • Wireless
  • Resources
    • Covid-19
    • DesignFast
    • Ebooks / Tech Tips
    • EE Forums
      • EDABoard.com
      • Electro-Tech-Online.com
    • FAQs
    • 2020 LEAP Awards
    • Oscilloscope Product Finder
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Videos
    • Teardown Videos
  • Lee’s Teardowns
    • Teardown Videos
  • Learning Center
  • 5G
  • Women in Engineering

When cellular connections are the only option

October 1, 2020 By Martin Rowe

Connecting IoT devices to the cloud, cellular may be the only option and 5G can be overkill for many applications.

Randall Kerr

Now that 3GPP Release 16 is on the books, the next phase of 5G can begin: connecting devices other than phones to the network, be that a public or private network. 5G, however, isn’t for everything. Many IoT devices simply don’t need the high speeds that consumers want. Yes, there are applications where equipment collects and stores vast amounts of data, but many don’t. For them, LTE is quite sufficient. That’s the takeaway from a conversation with Digi’s Randall Kerr.

Based in Hopkins, Minn., Digi engineers industrial, enterprise, and retail connectivity systems. These systems connect IoT devices that monitor physical conditions such as water levels, air quality, soil quality, and so on to wireless networks in many ways. That is, cellular (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or LoRaWAN. Activity in connecting IoT devices to 5G networks has begun, but network deployment and the lack of real need (so far) are holding things back.

Xbee Cellular Development kit for adding cellular connections to IoT devices.

In some installations, noted Kerr, cellular is the only connectivity option because of its widespread deployment. “Wired and satellite connectivity isn’t always available or not practical,” he said. “Cellular connectivity is ubiquitous and reliable.” Indeed, Digi has sold some 15 million of its XBee cellular modem modules (Figure 1) to engineers who integrate them into IoT devices. The company also designs cellular communications into products such as routers that bring cellular connectivity indoors.

“While 5G is blazing fast, but it’s not deployed in many areas and in many applications, the speed available from mmWave connectivity is simply not needed. Data rates for sub-6 GHz 5G is generally fast enough.” As a result, Kerr expects early IoT connections to 5G to occur in the FR1 frequency band, sub-6 GHz. He noted that signals at FR1 frequencies can penetrate walls and glass, something mmWave signals can’t do. Kerr said that Digi is working on 5G connectivity and that enterprise equipment will be the first to get it. In the meantime, there are many engineers using LTE connectivity for IoT products. Indeed, Kerr explained that Digi customers look for easy installations hat are possible with FR1 frequencies.

Digi cellular router with management software.

Industrial monitoring installations often use sensors and digitizers. Recorded data needs to find its way to datacenters for cloud storage and analysis. Cellular routers often fit the application, providing the connectivity to wired networks. Because many installations collect data slowly, routers with some intelligence can make decisions on when to send that data. For example, router that can support scripting languages such as Python can perform initial analysis at the installation site. While much of the data collected is what Kerr calls “heartbeat data,” a script can monitor the data for anomalies and send data when the need occurs.

EE or IT?
When it comes to connecting embedded devices to wireless networks, there’s a transition that occurs between electrical engineering and IT functions. Engineers know the sensors, measurements, digitizing, and signal processing side, but once the data goes to the modem and on to the network, it’s usually in the IT domain. Kerr noted that he splits his time evenly between working with EEs and IT people. He often explains the fundamentals of networking to EEs. The connectivity devices such as routers and gateways handle the communications using standard protocols. “Once you have a modem, it’s an IT function.”

Filed Under: 5G, Applications, Telecommunications, Wireless Tagged With: Digi

Primary Sidebar

EE Training Center Classrooms

“ee

“ee

“ee

“ee

Featured Resources

  • NEW! EE World Online Learning Center
  • CUI Devices – CUI Insights Blog
  • EE Classroom: Power Delivery
  • EE Classroom: Building Automation
  • EE Classroom: Aerospace & Defense
  • EE Classroom: Grid Infrastructure

Autonomous & Connected Vehicles 2019


RSS Current EDABoard.com discussions

  • Rippe current rating of aluminium electrolytic capacitor is very low.
  • Radiated emissions problems
  • Same geometry but slightly different results
  • Mic preamp and Tx on MAX260x
  • Security for IoT

RSS Current Electro-Tech-Online.com Discussions

  • new to Ardunio but trying to compile
  • Security for IoT
  • Can this rail fault cause the oscillator to give bad signal ?
  • watchdog in stop mode
  • First time using MOSFETs project

Oscilloscopes Product Finder

Follow EE World on Twitter

Tweets by @EEWorldOnline

Footer

EE World Online

EE WORLD ONLINE NETWORK

  • DesignFast
  • EDABoard Forums
  • Electro-Tech-Online Forums
  • Microcontroller Tips
  • Analog IC Tips
  • Connector Tips
  • Engineer's Garage
  • Power Electronic Tips
  • Sensor Tips
  • Test and Measurement Tips
  • Wire & Cable Tips
  • 5G Technology World

EE WORLD ONLINE

  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Lee's teardown videos
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
  • About Us
Follow us on TwitterAdd us on FacebookFollow us on YouTube Add us on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 · WTWH Media LLC and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media.

Privacy Policy