Running CBRS and LoRaWAN on the Same Site

When a company plans a private network, the first question is often which technology to choose. For most large sites, the better question is which devices need which kind of connection. A security camera, a supervisor's tablet and a battery-powered leak sensor have very different needs. Trying to serve all of them with a single network usually means paying too much for some devices and serving others poorly.

CBRS and LoRaWAN are a common pairing because their strengths do not overlap much. This article explains what each one does well, how they work together and what to plan for.

What each network is good at

CBRS is LTE or 5G on the shared 3.5 GHz band. It carries a lot of data with low delay, supports devices that move around the site and uses SIM cards for security. It suits video cameras, voice, laptops, tablets, vehicle terminals and machines that send large amounts of data. CBRS devices usually need a power supply or a rechargeable battery.

LoRaWAN is a low-power wireless network that runs on license-free spectrum between 902 and 928 MHz in the United States. It carries very small messages, often a few bytes every few minutes, over long distances. Its main advantage is battery life: many LoRaWAN sensors run for five to ten years on one battery. It suits temperature, humidity, leak, vibration, pressure, door, occupancy and air-quality sensors. You can read more in our article What is LoRaWAN?

The table below compares the two for typical site uses.

Need	CBRS	LoRaWAN
Video and voice	Yes	No
Laptops, tablets and handhelds	Yes	No
Battery-powered sensors that last for years	Not practical	Yes
Very large numbers of low-cost sensors	Possible, but each device needs a SIM and a radio that supports Band 48	Yes, one gateway can serve thousands of sensors
Devices moving around the site	Yes	Yes, for small messages
Spectrum	Shared 3.5 GHz band, coordinated by a Spectrum Access System	License-free 902–928 MHz band

How the two networks work together

They use different frequencies

CBRS operates at 3.5 GHz and LoRaWAN operates below 1 GHz, so the two networks do not compete for the same spectrum. We measured this directly at Miami International Airport. In a joint coverage survey in Terminal D, we ran LoRaWAN sensors alongside an active CBRS network in the terminal. The sensors lost no packets, and we measured LoRaWAN coverage of more than 600 feet from a gateway placed on the floor, with 30 dB of link margin left at the farthest test point. The details are on our AirportIQ page.

CBRS can carry LoRaWAN traffic back to the cloud

A LoRaWAN gateway needs an internet connection to forward sensor data to the network server and the platform. On a large site, running Ethernet to every gateway location can be expensive. When a CBRS network already covers the site, a gateway can use it as its backhaul through a CBRS router or a gateway with a built-in CBRS modem. This puts LoRaWAN coverage in yards, parking structures and outbuildings without new cabling.

One platform for both kinds of data

The network is only part of the system. Data from cameras and handhelds and data from sensors should end up in the same place, organized by location, area and asset. On the IoT-LogIQ platform, a leak alarm from a LoRaWAN sensor and an alert from a CBRS-connected device can be routed to the same people, using the same rules. Operations teams then work from one view of the site instead of one view per network.

Examples of how sites divide the work

• Airports. CBRS supports operations staff, baggage systems and security devices. LoRaWAN supports people counters, restroom and air-quality sensors, and equipment monitoring.
• Plants and warehouses. CBRS connects forklifts, handheld scanners, cameras and machine controllers. LoRaWAN monitors motors, pumps, compressed air, temperatures and leaks.
• Cities and corridors. CBRS provides connectivity for staff, cameras and public internet access. LoRaWAN monitors stormwater, lighting, parking and traffic counts over long distances. Our SmartCity solution uses this approach.
• Campuses and multi-building properties. CBRS extends connectivity to outdoor areas and outbuildings. LoRaWAN covers comfort, occupancy, leak and energy sensors inside every building.

What to plan for

1. Start from the device list. List the devices the site needs to connect, then assign each one to the network that fits it. This keeps the CBRS network sized for high-bandwidth devices and keeps sensor costs low.
2. Plan gateway backhaul early. Decide which LoRaWAN gateways will use Ethernet, which will use CBRS and which will use a cellular or satellite backup.
3. Survey before installing. Measure CBRS and LoRaWAN coverage at the real mounting points. Buildings, metal racks and equipment change coverage more than any model predicts.
4. Keep the alarm routing in one place. Decide who receives each type of alert before devices go live, regardless of which network the alert comes from.

Next steps

If you are planning connectivity for a site with both high-bandwidth devices and sensors, our team can help you divide the work between CBRS and LoRaWAN and connect both to one platform. You can read more about our network layer, or book a call with our team.