In the previous article, plc247.com introduced you to a fairly new protocol: NFC. This article plc247.com continues to introduce you to another new protocol: Sigfox
What is Sigfox?
Sigfox is a mobile network-like system that uses Ultra Band (UNB) technology to connect devices remotely. The goal of the technology is for use in communications applications with low speeds, long distances and extremely low power consumption. In addition, it requires lower antenna requirements than GSM / CDMA mobile networks. Sigfox uses free ISM bands that do not need to be licensed to transmit data.
The idea of Sigfox was formed from demand: For M2M applications using battery power and requiring only low data transmission speed, the transmission range of Wifi is too short, while for mobile networks, It’s too expensive and energy consuming. With UNB technology, and designed to handle data transmission from 10 to 1000 bits per second, it only consumes 50 microwatts compared to 5000 microwatts of mobile phone network. Or simply, with a 2.5Ah battery, with Sigfox technology allows you to use up to 25 years instead of 0.2 years if used via mobile phone network.
Features / specifications of Sigfox technology:
+ Frequency: Unlicensed ISM Band 868 MHz(Europe), 915 MHz(USA)
+ Range: 30 to 50 Km (Rural areas), 3 to 10 Km (Urban areas)
+ Throughput: 100 bps
+ Payload size to be transmitted: Very less(about 12 bytes)
+ Power consumption: Very less, for example, energy meter in SIGFOX will consume 50 microwatts while in GSM cellular system it consumes 5000 microwatts
+ Stand by time for 2.5Ah battery: It takes 20 years in SIGFOX, while GSM cellular takes very less about 0 to 2 years
+ Uplink / Downlink: Supports mono as well as bi-directional communication
+ Frequency Hopping: Supported
+ Security/Privacy: SIGFOX employs various techniques to support this
