CD: Can you tell us about LoRa technology for those who may not be so familiar?
GM: The LoRa radio and LoRaWAN specification define an interoperable low-power and low-cost communications solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT). By using LoRaWAN, IoT devices can communicate over tens of kilometers but still be powered by batteries and utilize chips that cost below $2. It is prime technology where the application has both power and cost constraints, but still requires two-way communication over a wide area.
Besides incorporating low-cost chips in the end nodes, the overall operating expenditure (OPEX) and capital expenditure (CAPEX) costs for the base stations and infrastructure is 1% of the cost of most alternatives. The architecture is a star network, but has unique features that provide improved robustness. It has no single points of failure and can provide geolocation/localization without the need for GPS chips.