Sign in Subscribe

What is the concept of in-band and guard-band LPWA deployment?

Last updated on 

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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.