The Sigfox technology
Sigfox belongs to the class of Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN). This class of networks consists of low-power wide area networks intended for wireless networking of devices with limited resources and power, such as sensors, over long distances of several kilometers. Typical areas of application are the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
In contrast to classic WLAN or wireless network technologies, the achievable data rates are much lower and range between a few hundred bits per second and a few hundred kilobits per second.
In addition to Sigfox, LPWAN technologies also include LoRaWAN, LTE-M, RPMA, Weightless, NarrowBand-IoT (NB-IoT), Wi-Fi HaLow and Mioty. In addition to energy efficiency and the ability to bridge large distances, the integration of a large number of hardware is a feature of an LPWAN.
- 1 Sigfox message = 12 bytes (uplink) 8 bytes (downlink)
Technical background of the Sigfox technology
Sigfox operates in a frequency range of 868 MHz (in Europe), which is very restricted and unlicensed. The low-frequency signals in these radio bands are suitable for operation over longer distances (up to 50 km), as they can penetrate solid objects well. The Sigfox LPWAN has a frequency range of 200 kHz, divided into eight channels of 25 kHz each.
Individual messages have a maximum load of twelve bytes in the downlink, which are transmitted at a rate of hundreds of bits per second. In addition to the station identification, each Sigfox device message contains a user data field, called payload, with a maximum size of 12 bytes. This means that the user can transmit a maximum of 12 bytes of measurement, status or other data with each transmission.
These station transmissions are then received by one or more Sigfox base stations, depending on the coverage. All this is comparable to the way mobile phone networks work, except that pure measurement/status/position data is transmitted via the Sigfox network. Each Sigfox base station can manage up to one million objects (receive, process and forward their transmissions).
The base stations now send all received data via the Internet to the Sigfox cloud. It consists of the worldwide collection of all Sigfox servers. All Sigfox device transmissions are recorded and stored here. Finally, the data is forwarded within the cloud to the corresponding Sigfox user account of the user in which the Sigfox device was registered. The data sent by the Sigfox devices can be
then sent to selected platforms for evaluation.
The permitted number of messages per connected end device is limited to 140 per day. Networked end devices require only a few milliamperes of power in active transmission mode and achieve very long operating times (of ten years or more) with a simple battery supply (e.g. AA batteries).
Sigfox offers numerous protective measures for the secure transmission of data, such as authentication and message integrity checks.
Possible applications of the Sigfox technology
LPWAN technology and the Sigfox network offer numerous application possibilities in the IoT and IIoT environment. The technology can be used to network devices such as sensors, electricity meters, fire detectors, medical devices and much more. Typical applications include smart cities, tracking in the logistics sector, protection against vehicle theft, cold chain monitoring, agricultural applications, patient monitoring and much more.
With its H solutions, Heliot offers solutions for all possible applications. Find your solution at H solutions.
Advantages of Sigfox technology
On the market since 2011, Sigfox 0G technology was designed and developed for IoT use from the outset. The low acquisition and operating costs, but also the long maintenance-free period and flexible scalability make 0G the ideal solution for IoT.
Simple
Reduction to the essentials: By eliminating the need to configure connections while enabling the integration of standards-based devices into the cloud, Sigfox is easier to use for all users.
Safe
Simple is robust is safe: narrowband radio is still widely used today in safety-relevant environments. With Sigfox, the individual end device establishes the connection to the network – it is therefore not possible to attack or hack a device via the network. Sigfox is also considered insensitive to targeted interference with radio traffic.
Efficient
Saves energy: The Sigfox radio protocol allows radio communication with very low energy consumption. Low power combined with short radio signal length enables maximum autonomy of objects. This means that many end devices can be used for years without recharging.
Sustainable
Less is sometimes more: designed as a “lean network”, Sigfox provides a powerful infrastructure for most IoT applications. The radio network works with a very long range and very low radio power and underlines the idea of sustainability.
Economical
Low cost: Benefit from widely available electronic components, low battery utilization, low deployment and integration costs, and our simple network infrastructure with high long-term capacity.
Complementary
Powerful combination: Sigfox is the ideal complement to existing radio technologies and network solutions such as Bluetooth, GSM 2G / UMTS 3G / LTE 4G / 5G and Wifi. By combining Sigfox with other connectivity solutions, even more IoT solutions can be realized.
Possible solutions with Sigfox technology
Various sensors available
Temperature, movement, humidity, fill level, air quality and much more - the possibilities for making things smarter using networked sensor technology are almost endless. In addition, clever authentication mechanisms ensure secure data transmission.
All-in-one solution
We offer you the lean network, the sustainable technology and the comprehensive knowledge to collect and analyze data worldwide (available in 75 countries without roaming charges). With long distances of up to 50 km and a large number of subscribers, Sigfox is suitable for mass distribution.
Suitable for all areas
With the help of our constantly growing ecosystem, we already cover a wide range of fields of activity. Together with our customers, we want to develop innovative products to save resources and become more successful.
Use of Sigfox technology
- Use of license-free radio frequencies
- No own network infrastructure required (the network is fully managed by the operator)
- Transparent billing of services in a subscription model