There are many things to consider before deciding to implement a private wireless network for IoT. While on the surface, it may seem like a no brainer, however there are a number of pros and cons about going the private wireless route. On the pro side, once implemented, a private wireless network provides instant benefits, most notably in the areas of security and reliability. On the flip side however, private wireless networks do not overcome all of the challenges of operating an IoT platform, such as scalability and know how. The article that follows does a good job of pointing out the benefits and the potential drawbacks of installing a private wireless environment.
Many organizations, when they initially install wireless IoT devices, are using their existing WiFi and Bluetooth access points to connect off-the-shelf sensors and other devices. And since, most times, they connected those devices to the main corporate network, several security and performance issues arise.
WiFi and Bluetooth are not suitable for wide-area IoT applications, as the range of their access points is limited to a few meters, and require devices using substantial power to keep stable connectivity. Low-power, battery-operated IoT devices, such as simple sensors and actuators, require long-range, low-power communication standards such as LoRa, NB-IoT, or Zigbee.
Cellular networks, especially the ones offering low-power LTE-M and NB-IoT technologies, provide reliable security and wide-area connectivity. Some mobile infrastructure providers, such as Huawei and Nokia, are offering private LTE networks to medium and large corporate customers, with off-the-shelf solutions that make the initial investment easier to control.
