The Internet of Things (IoT) depends heavily on connectivity technologies to allow devices to communicate and exchange data. These technologies vary in terms of range, power consumption, bandwidth, and cost, and are selected based on specific IoT application requirements (e.g., smart homes, industrial automation, agriculture, etc.).
Used in local environments like smart homes, wearables, and personal IoT devices.
| Technology | Range | Data Rate | Power Consumption | Key Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth (Classic/LE) | ~10-100 m | 1 Mbps (LE) | Low | Wearables, health devices |
| Zigbee | ~10-100 m | 250 Kbps | Very Low | Home automation, smart lighting |
| Z-Wave | ~30-100 m | 100 Kbps | Very Low | Smart homes |
| Wi-Fi (802.11n/ac/ax) | ~50-100 m | Up to Gbps | Medium to High | Smart appliances, video surveillance |
| Thread | ~10-100 m | 250 Kbps | Very Low | Smart homes (Google Nest) |
| NFC (Near Field Communication) | <10 cm | 424 Kbps | Very Low | Contactless payments, smart cards |
Ideal for large-scale deployments, low data rate, long battery life.
| Technology | Range | Data Rate | Power Consumption | Key Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LoRaWAN | 2-15 km (rural) | 0.3–50 Kbps | Very Low | Smart agriculture, smart cities |
| Sigfox | ~10-50 km | ~100 bps | Very Low | Asset tracking, environmental monitoring |
| NB-IoT (Narrowband IoT) | 1–10 km | ~250 Kbps | Low | Smart meters, industrial sensors |
| LTE-M (Cat-M1) | 1–10 km | Up to 1 Mbps | Low | Wearables, fleet management |
Leverages existing cellular networks. Suitable for high-reliability applications.
| Technology | Network | Data Rate | Power Use | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2G/3G/4G (Legacy) | GSM, UMTS, LTE | Varies | High | Older IoT systems |
| LTE-M (Cat-M1) | LTE | ~1 Mbps | Low | Mobile IoT, tracking |
| NB-IoT | LTE (licensed) | < 250 Kbps | Very Low | Smart metering |
| 5G | 5G NR | Up to 10 Gbps | Medium/Low (depending on mode) | Industrial IoT, real-time systems |
Used in remote or inaccessible regions.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Global Coverage | Ideal for maritime, mining, and remote areas |
| Lower Bandwidth | Suitable for basic telemetry data |
| Higher Latency & Cost | Compared to terrestrial options |
Power consumption (battery life considerations)
Range (indoor/outdoor, rural/urban)
Bandwidth requirements (sensors vs. video)
Latency sensitivity (real-time vs. periodic data)
Network availability and cost
Scalability (number of connected devices)
| Type | Examples | Range | Power | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-Range | BLE, Zigbee, Wi-Fi | < 100 m | Low/Medium | Homes, wearables, automation |
| LPWAN | LoRaWAN, Sigfox | ~2–15 km | Very Low | Smart cities, agriculture |
| Cellular | NB-IoT, LTE-M, 5G | ~1–10 km | Low | Smart meters, mobile assets |
| Satellite | Iridium, Inmarsat | Global | High | Remote monitoring |