RFSMS over LoRaWAN: Sending Messages with LoRa Technology
Advertisement
This page explains how to send SMS messages using a LoRaWAN (i.e., LoRa) network between end devices.
What is SMS?
SMS stands for Short Message Service. It’s a service used to transmit text messages from one mobile device to another. The maximum size of an SMS message is about 160 characters. There are different ways SMS can be delivered, including:
- Person to person
- Application to person
- Person to network
- Internet to person
In LoRaWAN, SMS can be used to send messages directly between two LoRaWAN end devices. The SMS originates at the transmitting device and terminates at the receiving device.
What is LoRaWAN?
LoRa network architecture
The figure above depicts the LoRaWAN network architecture and its elements. It consists of:
- LoRaWAN end devices
- Gateways
- Servers (network server, application server, and join server)
LoRaWAN operates in various frequency bands across the globe, such as:
- US (902 to 928 MHz)
- EU (863 to 870 MHz)
- China (779 to 787 MHz)
LoRaWAN is commonly used for long-distance, low-data-rate applications in the IoT/M2M domain. It can cover distances ranging from 5 km to 15 km. LoRaWAN devices support three classes: A, B, and C. These devices consume very low power, which helps extend battery life.
SMS over LoRaWAN
SMS over LoRaWAN
The figure above shows the connections required for SMS over a LoRaWAN network. As shown, you can send an SMS from one end device to another using LoRaWAN end devices at region-specific LoRa frequencies. Typical combinations used for SMS transfer include:
- Between mobile #1 and mobile #2 (using USB or UART connection between LoRaWAN device and mobile).
- Between a mobile device and a laptop/desktop (using USB or UART connection between LoRaWAN device and mobile or laptop/desktop).
- Between one laptop/desktop and another laptop/desktop (using USB or UART connection between LoRaWAN devices and the laptops/desktops).
