What is the concept of in-band and guard-band LPWA deployment?
Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) networks are designed to provide long-range communication with low power consumption, making them suitable for applications like Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In-band and guard-band are two deployment concepts related to the frequency spectrum allocation for LPWA networks.
- In-Band Deployment:
- In in-band deployment, LPWA networks operate within an existing frequency band alongside other wireless technologies or services.
- This approach involves using a portion of the spectrum that is already allocated for other communication purposes.
- LPWA devices and base stations share the same frequency band with other devices, potentially leading to coexistence challenges and interference issues.
- The advantage of in-band deployment is that it allows efficient spectrum utilization by leveraging existing frequency resources.
- Guard-Band Deployment:
- In guard-band deployment, LPWA networks use the unused or underutilized frequency bands that serve as buffers (guard bands) between existing services or frequency allocations.
- Guard bands are intentional gaps in the frequency spectrum, typically used to prevent interference between adjacent frequency bands.
- LPWA networks can operate in these guard bands without causing interference to the neighboring frequency bands, and vice versa.
- The advantage of guard-band deployment is reduced interference and better coexistence with other wireless services, as LPWA devices operate in dedicated frequency ranges.
Considerations and Trade-offs:
- Interference and Coexistence: In-band deployment may face challenges related to interference from other services using the same frequency band. Guard-band deployment minimizes interference with existing services, but available guard-band spectrum may be limited.
- Efficiency: In-band deployment is more spectrum-efficient since it utilizes existing frequency resources. Guard-band deployment requires allocating additional spectrum for LPWA networks, which may not be as efficient but can offer better isolation.
- Regulatory Approval: Both deployment approaches require regulatory approval for the use of specific frequency bands. In-band deployment may face more stringent requirements due to potential interference concerns.