Is LoRaWAN Fully Approved as an ITU Standard?

Is LoRaWAN Fully Approved as an ITU Standard?
LoRaWAN Fully Approved as an ITU Standard

As reported by the International Telecommunication Union, LoRaWAN is now the standard for Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) technology. ITU is the specialized agency for ICT recommended by the United Nations. It was established in 1865 to ease global connectivity in communications networks.

ITU is fully responsible for developing technical standards that seamlessly interconnect networks and technologies. The ITU standard predates other standardization bodies. Its well-known history contains the fixed telecommunication networks, the first radio communication globally, and Morse code standardization.

MOKOLoRa significantly contributes to the collaboration growth between the ITU and the LoRa Alliance. You always benefit from ITU work each time you make phone calls, send emails, or surf the internet.

ITU Standards of Development

ITU provides an exceptional environment based on consensus and driven by contribution using the latest tools and facilities for collaboration. Study questions are driven primarily by study groups that contribute membership inputs. Study groups address technical studies in certain telecommunication standardization areas.

The study groups are divided into several working teams that assist in organizing work. Within the study group, the subsequent organizational unit is the working party, whose role is to coordinate study questions about a particular theme. Moreover, the study questions are addressed by a functional group of experts known as the rapporteur group. The relevant rapporteur chairs the meetings.

Bearing in mind the study group’s guidance and the text of the Question, the members govern the required recommendations. They also develop text for these recommendations considering all appropriate inputs and referring to other essential parts of ITU standards. Experts usually meet work progress, although they still meet independently of the study groups in more informal settings, when required.

itu standard

ITU Sectors

Each of the three sectors of ITU has its unique activities and characteristics. An organization or a company can become a Sector Member or an Associate when it joins one or more ITU sectors.

a) ITU Radio-communication Sector – This sector plays a significant role in managing spectrum radio frequencies and satellite orbit resources. The sector is also responsible for the development of international radio-communication system standards.
b) ITU Standardization Sector – This sector gathers professionals to develop international ITU standards, which act as essential elements of ICT in the world.
c) ITU Development Sector – This sector aims to spread equitable and cheap telecommunication access to encourage social and economic development growth.

Collaboration between ITU and LoRa Alliance

From the very beginning, LoRaWAN was built as a standard of open connectivity. The LoRa Alliance approached the ITU sector for Telecommunication standardization to formally document LoRaWAN as a global standard by a self-governing authority. This is because of its critical standardization and openness to attaining the interoperability required for massive scaling.

Collaboration between ITU and LoRa Alliance

The Certification of LoRaWAN Devices

The process of certifying LoRaWAN devices contains many steps. First, the registering company must register a Non-Disclosing Agreement (NDA). Moreover, the company must also file a Certificate Agreement (CA) and issue a Certificate of Insurance (COI).

Secondly, the company must submit the device’s documentation, such as references and user guides. FCC grants, troubleshooting guides, and GCF grants. Also, the company is required to choose a lab certification lab and provide all other related documents. Besides, the company must also give in paperwork to a mobile carrier.

Results are released a week after the company sends the samples to a test lab accredited by the LoRa Alliance. Interoperability, conformance, and the product’s RF testing are the essential elements covered in the certification test.

After passing the test results, the company is given an Open Development Certification letter to run its device on the LoRaWAN network carrier. Lastly, the certification process is finalized by giving the company the mandate to activate their devices on the network and upload the exclusive device identifiers to the carrier’s database.

Why should devices be LoRaWAN certified?

The LoRa Alliance certifies the interoperability of all LoRaWAN technologies and products. LoRa Alliance is an open, non-profit group that intends to fund the approval of a well-secured, carrier-grade Internet of Things LPWAN connectivity. Most mobile networks in the world are using LoRaWAN, and its application is expected to expand promptly.

MOKO supports and endorses the international approval of LoRaWAN standards by ensuring the interoperability of all LoRaWAN technologies and products. This has assisted IoT in enabling a more sustainable future.

Having a Look into the Future

The public recognition of the LoRaWAN standard by the prominent organization of standards development authenticates the decision of markets in adopting LoRaWAN. This is anticipated to align the stage for more outcomes globally.

The intellectual property rights (IPR) guidelines for LoRa Alliance are now affiliated to match the IPR guidelines for ITU. This means that ITU members apply a new status for implementation when they obtain open-source and royalty-free LoRaWAN usage. Future releases of the developing LoRaWAN standards will be shared with the ITU standards for assessment, possibly leading to a growth in its existing recommendations.

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