Episode 13
How To Accelerate LoRaWAN - Alper Yegin
Alper Yegin, CEO of the LoRa Alliance, joins the show to share strategic insights into the future of LoRaWAN as a utility-grade connectivity layer for IoT. With over 100 million LoRaWAN devices already deployed and 50% annual growth rates, Alper highlights how businesses can leverage certification, collaboration, and plug-and-play architecture to thrive in this evolving LPWAN landscape. This episode is essential listening for anyone building in IoT infrastructure or deploying scalable IoT monitoring solutions.
Key Points
- Awareness and education—not competing technologies—are the biggest threats to LoRaWAN’s growth. Many failed deployments result from misunderstanding how to use the protocol properly.
- The LoRa Alliance’s certification process has been streamlined and made more affordable, helping device makers win RFPs and expand into global markets more efficiently.
- LoRaWAN’s roaming and integration across public, private, and satellite networks is paving the way for a globally unified, plug-and-play IoT connectivity experience.
- Businesses deploying LoRaWAN in smart buildings benefit from long-range, battery-efficient, low-cost, and license-free radio infrastructure—making it ideal for facilities like stadiums, retail chains, and office complexes.
- Strategic collaboration within the LoRa Alliance is accelerating product quality and ecosystem adoption, with members often working together—even as competitors—to grow the entire IoT pie.
Businesses Mentioned
- Verizon: Deployed LoRaWAN at State Farm Arena for facility management across the entire venue.
- AT&T: Launched a facility service called Connected Spaces, exclusively using LoRaWAN.
- MachineQ (Comcast subsidiary): Installed LoRaWAN sensors in over 10,000 Starbucks locations for cold chain monitoring.
- Rentokil: The world’s largest pest control firm is adopting LoRaWAN to monitor hard-to-reach building areas.
- Shell, Total Energies, Chevron: Using LoRaWAN in oil and gas facilities for temperature, valve, and vibration sensing.
- Veolia: Operating 5 million live LoRaWAN water meters across France.
- Yorkshire Water: Deploying 1.3 million LoRaWAN-connected water meters in the UK.
Memorable Quotes
- “Reality on the ground is ahead of the perception. There are a lot more deployments than meets the eye.”
- “Plug and play is key. You should be able to buy a device, turn it on, and it just connects—anywhere in the world.”
- “If people use LoRaWAN incorrectly and think it doesn’t work, it sets them back years. Education is critical.”
Find Our Guest
- Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!
- Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.
- Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!
- MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it.
- MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.
Transcript
Today's guest on
2
:MeteoScientific's
The Business of LoRaWAN is Alper Yegin,
3
:the newly appointed
CEO of the LoRa Alliance
4
:and a long time leader
in the world of wireless networking.
5
:Alper brings a rare combination
of technical depth and strategic clarity,
6
:having worked on everything from 5G
and MQM at Samsung to serving
7
:as CTO of activity, and now guiding
the LoRa Alliance into its second decade.
8
:For over 25 years, Altair has helped shape
9
:the protocols and standards
that underpin the Internet of Things.
10
:But it's his work with LoRaWAN
that's most relevant today.
11
:As chair of the LoRa
nce Technical Committee since:
12
:and now CEO, he's
been instrumental in building
13
:not just the technology
but the global ecosystem behind it.
14
:In this conversation, Alper
and I get into the real strategic levers
15
:for companies working with LoRaWAN
16
:how awareness and education are bigger
obstacles than technical limitations.
17
:How certification can become a competitive
advantage, and how collaboration,
18
:even with competitors, accelerates
the entire ecosystem.
19
:We also dig into the vision of LoRaWAN
as a utility, seamlessly integrating
20
:public, private and satellite networks
into a global fabric of coverage.
21
:If your business is building an IoT,
this is a playbook for where the future
22
:is headed. Let's dig in.
23
:Alper,
thanks so much for coming on the show.
24
:I know you're super busy.
25
:Thanks for making the time.
26
:Thank you. Nik,
it's my pleasure to be here.
27
:I'm excited to have you here
because you have this strategic
28
:view of what's happening in LoRaWAN.
29
:For a lot of the folks who come on here,
they're really into the technical side
30
:or the direct sales side,
and those are valuable pieces.
31
:But you've got this kind of 30,000ft view.
32
:Let's start off with what
the biggest threats to
33
:LoRa and LoRaWAN might be,
is it going to be NB IoT.
34
:Is it awareness?
Is it congestion? Is it a technical thing?
35
:Like what are the biggest threats
that you see for LoRa?
36
:Sure, yeah.
37
:So LoRa Alliance has been around
for ten years now.
38
:We're celebrating our first decade.
39
:And within this ten years,
we have created a technology
40
:that is leading the LPWAN space.
41
:So the low power wide area networking.
42
:There's been several other technologies
before we started,
43
:and and few others have joined the party
since LoRaWAN came along.
44
:And throughout these years,
45
:LoRaWAN has emerged
as the leading component technology.
46
:And right now, I wouldn't say
any one of the other technologies
47
:is a threat for LoRaWAN.
48
:We have a very mature technology
and our members, members of the LoRa
49
:Alliance and also learning ecosystem,
they have very solid, mature products.
50
:And we're able to say that
because right now we have more than 100
51
:million
LoRaWAN devices already in the field,
52
:and our members with the largest networks,
some of them see 50%
53
:that’s 5-0 CAGR a year over year
growth on their device count.
54
:So clearly there's a really good product
market fit right now.
55
:I wouldn't call it a threat or a risk,
but what really slowed us
56
:down is the awareness and education.
57
:So in this first decade,
we've been heads down focusing on
58
:building the technology
and building products and services
59
:with our members and and marketing
has not been our priority.
60
:Now we realize the reality on the ground
is ahead of the perception.
61
:So there are a whole lot more LoRaWAN
deployments and use case
62
:and success stories out there
than what meets the eye.
63
:And it is this awareness
that now we're focusing on.
64
:So the the perception
catches up with the reality.
65
:And also education.
66
:Getting to know how LoRaWAN works
is really key because without the proper
67
:education, people can get it wrong
in terms of like building their products
68
:or deploying low end as a service,
and then eventually
69
:they may end up concluding all
70
:or one doesn't work.
But most of the time it's
71
:not the technology, it's
the way they've been using.
72
:It has been a problem.
73
:And one could see this as a threat
because everyone you know has finite
74
:patience, finite resources, finite time.
75
:If they end up spending too much time
on other technologies
76
:and concluding IoT doesn't work,
or if they spend time on LoRaWAN
77
:without the proper background and cannot
get it working for whatever reason,
78
:then it can become like, oh,
79
:okay, this is not working,
I'm not gonna use this and that.
80
:That sets them back
for like a couple of years at least, until
81
:they keep hearing about it
and come back to it.
82
:So I would say that's
that's the biggest risk or the challenge.
83
:Now we are we're tackling.
84
:Got it.
85
:And I guess the obvious follow on question
is how are you guys tackling that piece.
86
:What are the plans that you have?
87
:What are the things you're
executing on against
88
:making sure that folks are more aware
of how to use it and using it correctly?
89
:Yeah.
90
:For awareness
actually we're taking several measures.
91
:So one of which is turning
our organization from
92
:I wouldn't say introvert,
but like becoming more extrovert now,
93
:like the event strategy, we have widened
and deepened our event strategy.
94
:We used to have our own member events
95
:in a hotel in some city and some place.
96
:Now instead of that,
now we are moving towards embedding
97
:our LoRa Alliance event inside
bigger trade shows.
98
:For example, the first one is in two weeks
in Barcelona, the IoT World Congress.
99
:We know this event is already attracting
people who are interested in IoT,
100
:and we're going to have our own pavilion
there.
101
:19 of our members will be exhibiting
numerous demos and their products.
102
:And then we also have a one full day
103
:conference track
embedded inside that larger IoT event.
104
:And that's just one of the events.
105
:And we are planning to do 2 or 3 of those
spanning all three regions.
106
:The next one we have
will be at the CES in:
107
:which will be catering to North America
and beyond, given the weight of CES.
108
:So all the traffic will be attracting,
we're going to get our own
109
:share of traffic towards our event,
110
:and in between
we are going to other events like LoRa
111
:Alliance has been to utilize a week
in India.
112
:We will be attending an event in Shanghai
in June and Shenzhen in August.
113
:So a whole lot more events will be going
to as LoRa Alliance and members.
114
:And we're also supporting our member
events through promotion
115
:and also encouraging our members
to be presenting and to be present there.
116
:And I myself am traveling almost once
a month to every corner of the world,
117
:attending events
and evangelizing this technology.
118
:So that's the event front.
119
:And then we are also increasing
our engagement with other organizations,
120
:alliances like the LMS or IMS,
121
:large ecosystem, like we had our board
members present at the Niagara Forum
122
:a month ago that's accelerating the
adoption of LoRaWAN in the smart buildings
123
:and also participating at the ITU events
in panels and conferences.
124
:So we have numerous initiatives
on the event side and also liaisons.
125
:We are adding new liaisons
and revitalizing the old ones,
126
:the past ones, to increase our engagement
with the other IoT ecosystems,
127
:to integrate LoRaWAN into the existing
ecosystems, to to bootstrap them.
128
:Right.
129
:And that integration piece is something
I may ask you about in a in a second.
130
:Let's see.
131
:So for LoRa Lyons, folks join that.
132
:They become a member.
133
:How would they use that certification
to gain some kind of advantage.
134
:Right. It can't be something
they just pay for and then forget about.
135
:How do they pay for the thing
and then leverage.
136
:Leverage the heck out of it
to grow their business here?
137
:Yeah.
138
:I mean, we have we have several benefits,
one of which is certification.
139
:We provide a certification service
for our alliance members for the devices
140
:they build.
141
:They can up on joining LoRa Alliance.
142
:They can get it certified by LoRa
Alliance, which provides validation
143
:for their devices, compliance and quality
with respect to the low end specification
144
:in several parts of the world,
that is a mandate.
145
:RFP is going out.
146
:Nowadays.
147
:They are including LoRa
Alliance certification,
148
:and what we have been doing on
that front is to make it easier
149
:for the audience members
to get their devices
150
:certified on one front,
we have revised our pricing structure
151
:for getting a device certified first time.
152
:There's there's a fee.
153
:And then if the member is certifying
similar device,
154
:we have a certification
by similarity program,
155
:which has much less overhead and also
certifying a device for multiple regions.
156
:It doesn't come at the multiple cost, but
we have tiered pricing for that as well.
157
:And on top of that, we have a tool called
a LCT, a LoRaWAN certification test tool
158
:we provide to our members, and our members
can test their devices on their own.
159
:And until recently, they still have to
take their device channel to test house.
160
:Now we provide them another option
that they can run the tests on their own,
161
:and they can submit the results
to the alliance and get the certification.
162
:So there's a self testing option
being made available.
163
:So now getting a certification
164
:is more streamlined
and comes at a lower cost than before.
165
:For that I we do encourage our members
166
:to, get their devices certified.
167
:And also the device makers
168
:who are not part of LoRa lines to join
and get their certifications as well.
169
:Got it.
170
:So the certification gives you the ability
to compete in a couple markets
171
:because it's just it's the bar.
172
:You have to have
a certification to come in
173
:and then you've made the certification
easier.
174
:Okay, I think I can understand that.
175
:Let's see.
176
:You've talked about a future
where LoRaWAN behaves
177
:like a utility, where it's everywhere,
it's ubiquitous, it's seamless.
178
:It kind of works for businesses
building today in this IoT world
179
:and in this LPN world,
and choosing LoRaWAN, what are the steps
180
:they can take to prepare for that time
when it is ubiquitous,
181
:when it's everywhere
or accelerate that future?
182
:Right.
183
:So the the utility angle is the following.
184
:So, you know, LoRaWAN with the long range
185
:nature of it and also being low cost
and using our license,
186
:that is naturally great.
187
:Can the technology
to become ubiquitously available?
188
:We already have several countries with
nationwide networks provided by operators,
189
:and they're already coming to networks
spanning
190
:practically almost any country
with significant coverage.
191
:And we also have
the satellite based networks.
192
:We have three of them already,
like Lacuna and Planets and Closer
193
:Mobile providing significant coverage
from space as well.
194
:Now. So that's that's one side of the.
195
:So the other side is how these networks
are collaborating with each other.
196
:So and that's where there's
a major distinction
197
:between the Wi-Fi story
and the LoRaWAN story.
198
:Wi-Fi has been around.
199
:And even today where I'm standing,
I bet there are like at this ten
200
:if not 20 Wi-Fi networks
that I can get signals from.
201
:But I can only use one,
and it is the one that I own.
202
:Right? So,
you know, physically they're here.
203
:Logically they don't exist
as far as I'm concerned.
204
:Now we're changing that.
205
:So obviously with the coverage wise,
LoRaWAN has superiority to Wi-Fi.
206
:But in terms of like making the
the networks integrate
207
:LoRaWAN both technology wise
and also the LoRa when ecosystem wise
208
:is a whole lot more collaborative
today, again,
209
:thanks to the low cost nature
of this technology, we see public,
210
:private and committed networks
being deployed all around the world.
211
:And LoRaWAN is the only wireless data
communication
212
:technology
that can have this much variety at scale.
213
:None of this cellular network types
214
:not the Zigbee, Z-Wave,
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.
215
:have this type of variety type of networks
being deployed at scale.
216
:LoRaWAN has that.
217
:On top of that, we have a very easy way
to integrate these networks through what
218
:we call roaming a traditional name, but
it's more like a network collaboration.
219
:Today,
we're able to integrate public, private
220
:and come into networks
both on the ground and also in space.
221
:In all random combinations.
222
:There are public networks
roaming with public networks,
223
:private ones roaming with community,
community roaming with public
224
:and then and even nationwide networks
on the ground,
225
:roaming with satellite networks.
226
:So this is how we are on our way
to build a ubiquitous network,
227
:which will be available around the world.
228
:Multiple layers of the network
will be available,
229
:provided by hundreds of providers
behind them, including,
230
:say you as a resident of your house
and then your neighbors,
231
:and then the mini and the city nationwide
network, maybe multiple of them.
232
:There's going to be a users network,
so on, so forth.
233
:They will all coexist physically,
but the way we are integrating them,
234
:they will all act as one such
that you'll be able to go
235
:and buy an end device and then bring it
wherever you want to operate it
236
:home or business or in the field,
and then turn it on.
237
:It'll connect.
238
:It'll all connect to the network,
which is provided by multiple providers
239
:behind the scene.
240
:But they'll all be integrated in a way
that you'll end up paying one bill.
241
:And maybe it's a bill
242
:that you have paid upfront
when you bought the device for the first,
243
:you know, ten years, right? Sure.
244
:So that's the vision
we have. And it's going to be utility.
245
:Like, you know, just like wherever you go
246
:and you plug in your electrical equipment,
it just works, right.
247
:You just turn on the device.
It'll just connect.
248
:Connect to the IoT Internet of Things
right to the internet.
249
:Now come back to your questions
or for longer answer
250
:just to provide the background.
251
:What should the like, the device makers
or solution makers or operators do?
252
:Well, the plug and play
is a very important feature,
253
:and we have several standard pieces
for that.
254
:And we're constantly adding more,
having a plug and play
255
:device and solution and a network
that supports plug and play is key.
256
:And secondly,
collaborating with other networks,
257
:integrating your network,
whether it's your home network,
258
:business network or a public network,
integrating with other networks
259
:directly or indirectly through roaming
hubs, that's only happening.
260
:And, you know, that's what
I would recommend anyone to join
261
:the LoRa ecosystem to be open to do that
262
:and be part of this grand vision
we have for the future.
263
:Got it.
264
:So really thinking on the hardware side in
and I guess firmware software is
265
:this thing will be part
of an integrated global net at some point.
266
:Let's make sure we prepare for that,
to make that as easy as possible,
267
:because it's fairly obvious that
this kind of network effects will happen.
268
:Is that the first folks that make
that really easy will benefit the most
269
:from that? Okay, cool.
270
:That makes a ton of sense, Nick there.
271
:Like, you know, even though
272
:I talked about like one network,
this is not the only mode of operation.
273
:While there would be one network
that in device can join,
274
:there would still be numerous
private networks operated virtually
275
:in the same space. Right.
276
:You could,
you know, have a slice of your network
277
:that's only serving your devices
where you can't share
278
:some part of that with that one
network, vision.
279
:So we'll still have like, public
private networks and then have this one
280
:unified you with this network
operating as a, as an overlay as well.
281
:Yeah, it's a super cool idea.
282
:I like the this make no small plans.
283
:This is a this is a big plan
284
:I like let's
see you see a ton of different businesses.
285
:Where do you currently see the most
commercial traction for LoRaWAN globally.
286
:And why do you think that is. Yeah.
287
:So among the verticals
we have the most momentum I would say
288
:metering, especially water
metering and guest metering
289
:and then smart buildings
and smart industry.
290
:The automation in factories
and smart construction
291
:and also smart mining
and also campus wide tracking.
292
:So these are the ones leading the pack
and among them,
293
:the one that has the highest momentum
right now is smart buildings.
294
:Majority of the smart buildings
today are using wired
295
:communication technologies,
and wireless is is a small part of that.
296
:But within that small but growing segment,
LoRaWAN has already emerged
297
:as the leading wireless
communication technology.
298
:And the reason behind that is inside
a building or inside a facility.
299
:What do you need?
300
:You need communication technology
that can pierce through the walls right?
301
:That's a check for LoRaWAN.
302
:You want to put sensors that can operate
303
:using batteries for a long time,
that you wouldn't have to recharge them.
304
:It's a check for LoRaWAN.
305
:You want something
that doesn't require you to own
306
:one of the few limited licenses.
307
:That's a check for LoRaWAN,
308
:and you need something that is very low
cost for for building the radio network.
309
:That's a big time
check for LoRaWAN as well.
310
:And so leaving any other technology
311
:like Zigbee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi,
312
:cellular behind,
LoRaWAN has taken the pole position
313
:in that market,
and we see several solid examples of that.
314
:For example, one of the board members
of LoRa Alliance is Verizon Wireless.
315
:They have deployed facility management
in Atlanta
316
:at the State Farm and Bay arena.
317
:That's where Atlanta Hawks is playing,
318
:and they have covered the whole venue
using LoRaWAN for facility management.
319
:And they are not the only tier
one operator in us doing so.
320
:The other one is AT&T.
321
:They are connected spaces service,
which they have launched four months
322
:ago, is exclusively based on LoRaWAN
323
:and obviously,
machine Q, a subsidiary of Comcast.
324
:And as a board member of LoRa Alliance,
have been deploying LoRaWAN
325
:for the longest time.
326
:They have deployed LoRaWAN
in more than 10,000 Starbucks
327
:stores across North America for cold chain
monitoring.
328
:Again, it's an indoor case.
329
:They need a solution to work
wirelessly inside fridges, cabinets,
330
:behind the walls and all that.
331
:And LoRaWAN came to the rescue,
and they've been fully exercising that
332
:technology.
333
:And the benefits industry has been
334
:rapidly adopting LoRaWAN as well.
335
:And one one other example is world's
largest
336
:pest control company, Rentokil Initial.
337
:They are precisely 100 years
old, multi-billion dollar company.
338
:They wanted to connect their units,
their sensors, and they looked around
339
:and the kind of places
the pests love to hang around.
340
:It's really difficult to bring networks.
341
:They're only able to pull it off.
342
:So they have discovered
that they joined the Law Alliance,
343
:and now they're working on LoRaWAN
version of their products.
344
:So yes, in the, smart building
arena, we've got the leading position.
345
:And this will not only stay that way,
but also accelerate
346
:the adoption of wireless
in the smart buildings industry.
347
:Yeah.
348
:I remember talking to Manos at Terra Q
and he was saying,
349
:I hadn't even thought of this.
350
:He said, we deal with businesses
and most is focused in the Middle East
351
:all the time where they're expanding,
352
:and it makes it so easy
if you're using LoRaWAN,
353
:if you're expanding into the next unit,
you knock out a wall.
354
:You don't need to rerun new wires.
355
:You just add a sensor
in the in the new place.
356
:It was just such a cool idea because the
the range is so long, you don't need to
357
:to worry about running new wires
or putting in a new gateway or whatever.
358
:It'll it'll just cover it.
359
:Yeah.
360
:And regarding running wires,
I'll tell you, the most expensive
361
:type of wires one would need is at the
the oil and gas industry.
362
:Why is that?
363
:It would stand the sheer amount
of like fight in case of any disaster.
364
:Right. Yeah. Yeah.
365
:That's where LoRaWAN is also proving
to be a game changer today.
366
:Companies
like Total Energy's Shell and Chevron,
367
:they have been deploying LoRaWAN, Europe's
largest oil refinery,
368
:the one in Rotterdam, operated by shell,
369
:has been deploying LoRaWAN solutions
provided by our member league
370
:involving like temperature sensors,
valves, sensors and vibration sensors.
371
:So yeah, I mean, cutting the cord
and especially the expensive ones
372
:were really good at that.
373
:Yeah, I was just reading about the thing
that sounds super cool.
374
:I'd love to get those guys on. Let's see.
375
:You guys are under under your leadership.
376
:It seems that you're really focusing
on expanding
377
:liaison integrations, making sure
there's much more collaboration.
378
:How can individual businesses
so whether it's, you know, Scott
379
:Andrews's sensibility or its manager
at sponsor, it's Miroslav, at Helios.
380
:Any of the folks that have been on here,
how can they think strategically
381
:about this collaboration,
even me, with competitors
382
:to accelerate the whole ecosystem
and their growth?
383
:What are what are ways
you recommend to do that?
384
:Yeah.
385
:So as what alliance?
386
:Actually, we are making a great case of
how collaboration can help the industry.
387
:So large problems.
388
:I mean, IoT is a difficult problem.
389
:A lot of things have to come together
and work end to end seamlessly.
390
:If any one of these chains is broken,
the whole system just fails, right? Yep.
391
:This is a very well understood by the IoT
ecosystem and more so by the LoRa
392
:Alliance members
and the law and ecosystem members.
393
:And that's why when someone joins
LoRa Alliance,
394
:one of the things they notice is
how collaborative we are.
395
:It's like one company
with the power of 350 plus companies,
396
:all that are in the coming together,
working on the same problem together.
397
:And I've not been involved
in the Incentivization
398
:for over a quarter century.
399
:I worked in Internet
Engine, Task Force two, GP2,
400
:WiMAX forum, Etsy, etc.
401
:and I can easily say that
402
:none of them
had the amount of collaborative spirit
403
:we have here, because at the end
is all about making the pie bigger.
404
:Yeah, now
any effort that goes into collaboration
405
:would have an amplified return
on the investment,
406
:and this is definitely not the time
for these companies
407
:to put energy into competing.
408
:It is to be put into cooperation.
409
:And like nearly 100% of the
410
:their energy within the alliance
are going into this collaboration.
411
:And it has been paying off
for every one of them.
412
:That's why they stay in the alliance.
413
:They keep putting effort into it.
414
:Sure, they've been seeing
the return on investment.
415
:And can you give me an example of that?
416
:Were two of the members
417
:who might otherwise have been thought
of as competitors decided to collaborate,
418
:and they got something
really good out of that, honestly.
419
:Like, you know, just
just pick any member of the lower alliance
420
:and then I can name
like 10 to 15 of their competitors
421
:sitting like in the same meeting room
on the same zoom
422
:call at the board level,
anything and everything.
423
:But honestly, you know,
424
:none of them, when they see each other,
none of them think in those terms, okay?
425
:They all look at,
426
:you know, this is what we need to do
at the board level, at the technical
427
:committee, at the certification
committee, at the marketing committee.
428
:So they don't see each other as like,
oh, this is my competitor.
429
:They see like, okay,
this is what we need to crack.
430
:And here we are.
We're a team. And let's go after that.
431
:And yeah, yeah, we were full of the tribe.
432
:I mean, really, there's no single company
that doesn't have a competitor
433
:in the Alliance.
434
:Yeah, that's super cool.
435
:Well, let's finish up with with this one
is that you've tackled
436
:a bunch of misconceptions about security.
437
:I know I've seen some talk about it.
438
:What can companies do tactically
to build trust in their solutions
439
:for their customers who concerned
about reliability, security, longevity.
440
:You know, customer comes to
and says like, hey,
441
:does this low end thing
like really work as a secure
442
:what are the things that companies can do
to to address that?
443
:Yeah, usually the lack of trust in low
444
:end security
is stemming from lack of knowledge.
445
:So I mean, we do hear things like,
446
:LoRaWAN is using an unlicensed band,
so it cannot be secure.
447
:Well, we're using a wireless communication
technology here.
448
:Whether you're using a licensed vendor,
unlicensed band has zero relevance, right?
449
:The advert is not going to say,
oh, these guys are using a license,
450
:but so I cannot touch it. There's
nothing like that.
451
:Yeah, that is in the air. Right.
452
:And I can grab it. Anyone can.
453
:You know, play with it. Yep.
454
:Now what we do,
just like any other modern day wireless
455
:communication technologies,
we use cryptography, right?
456
:You know, if you were to go back, say,
20 years ago, it wasn't well understood.
457
:That's why, for example, Wi-Fi
had glitches like WFP had some glitches.
458
:But in the past, I would say at least ten,
if not 15 years,
459
:the industry has already understood
460
:what kind of bells and whistles in
a wireless data communication technology
461
:needs to have a proper level of security,
like end point authentication,
462
:data, original authentication, integrity
protection, replay protection, encryption
463
:using strong and well established crypto.
464
:So it like S 128 right.
465
:This is the state of art.
466
:So whether you're using, say,
5G, 4G or Wi-Fi or LoRaWAN
467
:to have a proper level of security,
and then the other thing to get,
468
:oh, you don't have a SIM card,
how can that be secure?
469
:Right.
470
:Well, SIM card is a piece of hardware
471
:that secures the cryptographic keys
and the cryptographic procedures.
472
:Well, we have the second of that
which is called a secure element.
473
:So any and device that requires
474
:a high end security,
we tell them use a secure element.
475
:It's not called SIM card
which is this specific GPU.
476
:But what's under the hood of a
SIM card is a secure element.
477
:So the same is available
to LoRaWAN deployments.
478
:But we do not force every one of these
deployments to use a secure element.
479
:For example,
if you are deploying a temperature sensor,
480
:you don't need to have a secure
because you know what you're
481
:the data you're collecting
is not really as valuable
482
:and is not subject
to the same kind of threats.
483
:Again, I'm assuming you're not sensing
the temperature of a nuclear plant.
484
:Okay.
485
:Let's you know, I'm
talking about an office building.
486
:So as such, we give the option to the
device makers not to use secure elements.
487
:And then, you know, that's that's
their choice and their customers choice.
488
:But for those who need the high
end security, yes,
489
:they can have the equivalent of a SIM
card, which is a using a secure element.
490
:So yeah, I mean, anyone who understands
security
491
:can easily look at our standards
and then understand that we have
492
:all the right bells and whistles with the
right amount of strength and security.
493
:And the proof,
the proof is the deployments.
494
:I mean, I'll give you examples
like metering industry for metering
495
:industry, the meters are really the cash
registers, okay.
496
:If they get a temper
they cannot make money.
497
:So for that
they have every reason to make sure
498
:the technology are using provide
secure communication.
499
:And that's what LoRaWAN does.
500
:That's
why for example our member like Veolia,
501
:they have deployed 5 million
LoRaWAN water meters in France,
502
:all connected
live streaming water and data right now.
503
:And I mean, they're constantly
relying on LoRaWAN and they're not alone.
504
:I mean, another water
metering win is by net more in UK
505
:Yorkshire Water 1.3 million project
which is starting again.
506
:You know the utilities
when they make such investments
507
:they go through a huge due diligence.
508
:I mean if the
if what this technology wants and say
509
:won't have the right capacity,
won't have the reliability or have
510
:would have any secret issues,
they wouldn't be making this investment.
511
:There's the investments
for like millions of meters.
512
:And when they are deployed they
to:
513
:It says super long term investment.
514
:And yeah, these are all,
you know, verified and confirmed.
515
:Hence people can confidently use LoRaWAN
in their most demanding locations
516
:for its reliability, security and
and scalability.
517
:Ripping right on out there.
518
:Thanks so much for making the time.
I know you're super busy.
519
:Really appreciate you coming by
and talking to us
520
:about the state of LoRaWAN
521
:and some of the big kind of strategic
thinking that's going on.
522
:Thank you man.
523
:Thank you Eric, very nice to meet you.
524
:And thank you
for giving me this opportunity.
525
:That's it for
526
:this episode of The Business of LoRaWAN.
527
:I built this for you,
the one person in about 100,000
528
:who actually has an interest in how
this tiny little slice of the world works.
529
:Of course, this isn't just about you
and me, it's about everyone in LoRaWAN
530
:and how we can work together
to make an exceptional thing.
531
:LoRaWAN is a dispersed community
with little pockets of knowledge,
532
:all around the world,
and most of them don't
533
:talk to each other as much as I'd like.
534
:So the first and best thing
we can do to make this show better
535
:is to get more guests
on who I don't even know exist.
536
:I want to talk to strangers. Strangers?
537
:Who are your friends.
538
:Please
introduce me to the most rad LoRaWAN
539
:you know or point to my way, or help
540
:reach out and give me a name.
When it comes to running down
541
:LoRaWAN guests,
I can track a falcon on a cloudy day.
542
:If you can remember Met Sideshow,
you can find me.
543
:That's my Etsy.
544
:I dot show that sideshow.
545
:Okay, so sharing knowledge
by getting great guests on is the first,
546
:and by far the most important thing
we can do to make this better.
547
:The next best thing for the show to do
is the usual stuff.
548
:Subscribe to the show.
549
:Give it a review, share it in your corner
of the world again, that's that sideshow.
550
:Finally, if you want to support the show
551
:financially, you can do that
over at support Dot Net Sideshow.
552
:You'll see options there
for one time donations.
553
:If you really like this show,
as well as an ongoing subscription option.
554
:If you think this show is worth supporting
for the long term.
555
:If you want to try LoRaWAN for yourself,
sign up for a scientific account
556
:at console dot Meadow scientific.com and
get your first 400 data credits for free.
557
:That's enough to run a sensor for
about a year if you're firing every hour.
558
:The show is supported by a grant
from the Helium Foundation and produced by
559
:Crystal King, Inc..
560
:I'm Nick Cox.
I'll see you on the next show.