Mr. Kern, Klaus-Dieter Walter does not draw a very positive conclusion in his LoRa experience report. You joined the LoRa Alliance at the beginning of the year to promote the technology - why are you more optimistic about the use of LoRa?

Kern: With the continuous growth of the IoT and thus the networking of any devices with the Internet, a huge market is emerging for end devices that cover a wide range of applications. The same wireless network or transmission protocol is not suitable for every application, which is why LoRA technology definitely has potential.

How mature do you think the technology is?

Kern: It is still being developed and we don't think the market is ready for the widespread use of LoRA technology at the moment: small devices are only available from a few manufacturers. In addition, this technology means a kind of competitive situation for mobile phone providers, which in turn works against the rapid expansion of the networks.

And yet you are now involved in the LoRa Alliance?

Kern: As a manufacturer of routers and gateways, it is important for us to be involved in the LoRa Alliance. With our first LoRa gateway, which we presented at the Hannover Messe this year, we are certainly a pioneer. What's interesting for us now is what customers are using it for, which is why the first devices are involved in pilot projects. This allows us to gain a sound insight and respond to requirements. After all, we want to be at the forefront when the market takes off!

How important do you think it is that Swisscom is behind LoRa in Switzerland?
Kern: Yes, unlike in Germany, the telecoms market leader in Switzerland - Swisscom - is driving two technologies: Firstly, it is driving NB-LTE, and secondly, it is building a complementary low-power network (LPN) in accordance with the LoRa standard. The LPN provides a good basis for applications in energy-efficient devices and future smart cities in particular. Many municipalities are planning to install LoRa networks for this purpose, primarily for cost reasons. If a large operator like Swisscom is behind the technology, many investments will be easier. It can also be assumed that Swisscom has other interests in mind: For example, it is important to occupy a potential market at an early stage, which may develop rapidly.

How can it be explained that Deutsche Telekom in Germany does not seem to be interested in the technology?

Kern: According to its own statements, Deutsche Telekom is fully committed to NB-IoT (Narrow Band IoT). It sees huge potential in the development of LPWANs (low-power wide-area radio networks) and expects around 3.8 billion networked end devices by 2024. One reason for this is certainly that Deutsche Telekom, together with other companies such as Nokia, Ericsson and Huawei, is driving forward the mobile broadband standard for NB-IoT via the global 3GPP initiative. When using the NB, the existing infrastructure can generally continue to be used. Another key factor in the decision was obviously that NB-IoT is compatible with 2G, with around 20% better coverage. This means that Telekom can simply migrate a large number of 2G customers to NB-IoT after switching off GSM technology.

So Telekom is more confident than Swisscom?

Kern: The emerging emergence of LoRa networks by city carriers and large energy supply companies is likely to be met with a relaxed attitude. Deutsche Telekom sees the advantages of a licensed spectrum in the fact that it can guarantee extensive security measures and high operational reliability, which is not insignificant for many users.

LoRa representatives like to talk about a range of up to 15 km between the LoRa node and the gateway. However, practitioners make completely different calculations and therefore also a completely different cost calculation.

Kern: Every operator of a LoRa network has to do this calculation themselves and compare the costs with the savings from licenses. In countries like Switzerland or Holland, where there is a LoRa infrastructure, there are certainly advantages.

Can we therefore expect a heterogeneous market in IoT networking with the NB-IoT wireless technologies of the Deutsche Telekom companies, LoRa and Sigfox? Or do you believe in a rapid market shakeout?

Kern: In our view, the market will develop heterogeneously, at least in the next three to five years. We believe that NB-IoT and LoRa will develop in parallel. Sigfox will become less important.

NB-IoT processes have the great advantage that they can be used within the existing infrastructure. LoRa has the advantage that it is an open, free and license-free process that also allows cost-optimized implementation for cities and municipalities. The market will ultimately show which of the two solutions will prevail, or whether a sensible coexistence will develop.