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Is LoRaWAN Network an Efficient M2M Solution?

Implementing an efficient M2M communications project requires an excellent knowledge of both the customers’ needs and the technological mandatories of a successful IoT solution. When recently a company with an important share of the global farming sector noticed that their livestock loses could be drastically decreased with a closer control over their farming facilities, Simfony Mobile team accepted the challenge and presented the solution that best suited the situation.

One of the aspects that made things worse for our client was the lack of monitoring and control over the farming resources and processes. This significantly increased their operational costs, therefore we recommended a custom-made project that takes into consideration company’s and industry’s specifics. With Simfony’s Cloud Management Platform, the range of possibilities increases manifold. The first barrier we encountered was the fact that this used to be an extensive process involving significant time and financial resources, so it was more difficult than expected to convince the customer that our solutions really brings a paradigm shift.

Following an in-depth discussion with the client, the optimal solution was identified. Boasting low power consumption and without the need to build an expensive infrastructure, SIM technology was replaced by LoRaWAN – a local radio network which allows monitoring various parameters in a wide geographic area.

We were convinced that objectives such as crop monitoring, animal tracking, remote monitoring of farming facilities, equipment, and machineries, resource consumption (water, fuel) and climate monitoring were possible using the power of a LoRaWAN network and cloud infrastructure. We wanted to prove that a LoRaWAN network server can be based on cloud infrastructure. For our client, it was important to be able take decisions and act in real time, because remote monitoring means saving employee time. What a LoRaWAN network server could also bring to their business was a significant decrease of losing crops or livestock due to deficient resource management.

We strongly believe that LoRaWAN networks deserve a chance to be widely used in IoT and M2M projects. With Simfony Management Platform, LoRaWAN network infrastructure can be deployed through a cloud infrastructure, significantly reducing costs, while increasing control and reliability.

How to efficiently use LoRaWAN Network in the Farming Sector

Our customer, an important global player in the farming industry, encountered more than one problem when we first got into contact. What we did, and what we always do for a custom project, was to first gather requirements through a workshop with our customer’s representatives, who helped us better understand their needs, concerns, and special requests. IoT and M2M communications projects require a great deal of field work and hardware. Therefore, before proposing any M2M solution, we visited the site and collected precious information about the terrain and the local infrastructure.

It became clear to us that the most suitable network infrastructure is a LoRaWAN network based on a cloud infrastructure, available through the Simfony Management Platform, which works in cloud. Once all the data were collected and a solution was designed, our team installed smart sensors in order to monitor and measure various parameters around the farm and transmit data in real time. What our IoT platform did was collect real time actionable data from the sensors and trigger alarms or store the data for future review. At the same time, dashboard and analytics became available to create historic reviews. This was possible due to the fact that Simfony Management Platform is highly customizable through creating the most efficient application logic and visualizations for the customer.

The final results of this LoRaWAN network server project prove that the way to go forward is using a cloud infrastructure in conjunction with it. The pilot project led to a 50% decrease in losses, which was made possible through better decisions and improving the health of the livestock. Also, business processes were visibly improved, as complex statistics became available anytime for managers’ review. And last but not least, the implemented LoRaWAN network project improved regulatory compliance, decreasing the risk of fines or business disruptions.

We are not saying that a LoRaWAN network server based on cloud is always going to work. All we are saying is that if you are considering to create a network infrastructure for your M2M or IoT project, don’t forget that LoRaWAN is also available through our Cloud Management Platform. We are convinced that the best solution for you is actually a phone call or an e-mail away. Once our team will get to know your exact needs, we can help you decide on the most suitable solution.

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