Google Cloud has joined the LoRa Alliance as a sponsor member. Its input will help LoRaWAN operators glean deeper insights from data analytics running in their low-power wide-area (LPWA) ‘internet of things’ (IoT) networks, said the LoRa Alliance.
Donna Moore, chief executive of the LoRa Alliance, said: “Google Cloud joining the LoRa Alliance is a clear signal that LoRaWAN connectivity is gaining strong traction for IoT.
“All of the data generated by connected devices will enable new insights to be derived. Google Cloud’s participation in the LoRa Alliance will strengthen our efforts to realise value from this IoT data.”
Antony Passemard, head of product management for Google Cloud IoT, commented: “The vision of the LoRa Alliance around interoperability and openness aligns with our mission to build the world’s most open cloud and enable faster innovation and tighter security.
“We look forward to contributing to the growth and acceleration of this technology and simplify the process of developing, deploying, and managing IoT solutions.”
Google Cloud will deliver a morning keynote, about achieving a return on investment from data driven IoT insights, at the 10th LoRa Alliance Open House, in Vancouver, Canada, on June 7.
The LoRa Alliance will also use the event, about making money (“business value”) from LoRaWAN, to showcase members and end users, in a ‘member marketplace’ set-up, that have already achieved a return on their investment.
This Open House programme will feature “hands-on LoRaWAN 101 sessions” with free developer kits, presentations on technical aspects such as firmware updates and security integrity, vertical-market use-cases and customer stories, and updates on its LoRaWAN certification.
The LoRa Alliance said there were 83 LoRaWAN network operators at last count, including 56 Alliance member operators, working in 49 countries.
Unlicensed networks, mostly based on LoRa and rival LPWA variant Sigfox, make up two-thirds of low-power IoT networks today. A third of the total network deployments are geared towards smart city applications. However, their licensed equivalents, including NB-IoT and LTE-M, are gaining ground, with 1,800 per cent growth predicted for 2018.
Sigfox and LoRa have similar profiles. The main differences are in their business models. LoRa is not a company, but a standard, developed by chip manufacturer Semtech and maintained by around 500 firms under the non-profit LoRa Alliance. LoRa networks are acquired, constructed and maintained by private companies. LoRa-based devices run chips exclusively from Semtech.
