Academy for LoRaWAN®

When deciding whether to contract with a network provider or create your own private network, there are a number of things to consider, namely:

• Price
• Gateway access control
• Privacy

If you only need to connect a few devices, using a public network operator is probably the easiest and most cost-effective option. However, when deploying a large number of devices, it can be more cost-effective to create your own private network.  Creating your own network may also make sense if you’re deploying devices in a dense environment, such as a building, farm, or university.

Given the need for regulatory compliance in different regions around the world, some companies have strict data privacy and governance rules, which may require that the company only use its own servers for routing and storing the data collected by its end devices.

Using a Public Network

Using a public LoRaWAN network is easy--there is no need to install your own gateways. Generally, all you need to do is purchase a subscription from a network provider and you can then connect your devices to their network.

When using a public network, make sure to verify the scope of the network coverage before committing to a subscription. This is important because, with a public network, you can’t optimize network coverage by adding gateways. Also, realize that if you are using a public infrastructure, the network operator will manage the security keys of your devices.

Using a Private Network

Companies with strict data governance and security rules may opt to implement their own private network. This allows the company to manage the security of its data directly. By running the application server and the join server yourself, or by engaging a trusted third party, the safety of the keys can be assured.  Additionally, it may be more cost effective to run a private LoRaWAN network if you are planning to deploy a large number of end devices.

The drawback of developing a private network, however, is the associated overhead: for example, gateways must be installed and maintained, and the network server must be managed. Fortunately, there are third-party companies that specialize in this work.

Some Public Network Operators make it possible—even easy—to deploy your own network where you need it, and then have an network operator manage it.