820  Mobile Wireless: Comprehensive Review

820.1 Learning Objectives

By the end of this review series, you will be able to:

  • Select Wireless Technologies: Choose appropriate frequency bands and protocols for specific applications
  • Calculate Coverage Requirements: Analyze range, data rate, and battery trade-offs for deployments
  • Design Agricultural Systems: Plan smart agriculture networks with 5+ year battery life
  • Compare Technology Options: Evaluate Wi-Fi, Zigbee, LoRaWAN for different scenarios
  • Analyze Power Budgets: Calculate expected battery life based on transmission patterns
  • Test Protocol Knowledge: Validate understanding through challenging scenario-based questions

820.2 Prerequisites

Required Chapters: - Mobile Wireless Technologies Basics - Core concepts - Cellular IoT Fundamentals - Cellular technologies - Networking Fundamentals - Basic networking

Technical Background: - Cellular generations (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) - Frequency spectrum concepts - Handoff and roaming basics

Mobile Technology Evolution:

Generation Technology Data Rate IoT Relevance
2G GSM, GPRS tens of kbps (GPRS) Legacy M2M (sunsetting)
3G UMTS, HSPA Mbps peak (HSPA) Early IoT (sunsetting)
4G LTE, LTE-A 10s-100s Mbps peak Current IoT (LTE-M/NB-IoT)
5G NR 100s Mbps-Gbps peak Emerging IoT (profile-dependent)

Estimated Time: 1.5 hours (across all sections)

Mermaid diagram

Mermaid diagram
Figure 820.1

What is this chapter? This is an index page for the comprehensive review of mobile and wireless communication technologies for IoT. The content has been organized into focused sections for easier navigation.

When to use: - After studying mobile wireless fundamentals - When comparing cellular IoT options - For exam preparation

Key Technologies:

Technology Use Case
LTE-M Mobile IoT, voice support
NB-IoT Stationary sensors, deep indoor
5G NR High bandwidth, low latency
Satellite IoT Remote areas

Recommended Path: 1. Start with Cellular Network Architecture 2. Practice with Scenario-Based Analysis 3. Test yourself with Comprehensive Quiz

820.3 Review Sections

This comprehensive review is organized into three focused sections:

820.3.1 1. Cellular Network Architecture

Cellular Network Architecture for IoT

Covers the fundamental architecture of cellular networks for IoT:

  • LTE/5G network components (MME, S-GW, P-GW, HSS)
  • IoT-specific optimizations (PSM, eDRX)
  • Technology selection: NB-IoT vs LTE-M vs 5G
  • Cellular vs LPWAN comparison

Key Topics: - Radio Access Network (RAN) and base stations - Evolved Packet Core (EPC) functions - Power Saving Mode and Extended DRX - Mobility and handover support

Estimated Time: 30 minutes

820.3.2 2. Scenario-Based Analysis

Scenario-Based Understanding Checks

Practice trade-off reasoning with real deployment scenarios:

  • Agricultural Deployment: Design wireless networks for 200-hectare farms with 5+ year battery life
  • Interference Mitigation: Resolve Zigbee/Wi-Fi coexistence issues in smart buildings
  • Indoor Link Budget: Calculate multi-floor coverage for enterprise Wi-Fi

Key Topics: - Range vs frequency trade-offs - Battery life calculations - Channel selection for interference avoidance - Path loss modeling for indoor environments

Estimated Time: 45 minutes

820.3.3 3. Comprehensive Quiz

Comprehensive Quiz and Knowledge Checks

Test your knowledge with challenging questions covering:

  • Electromagnetic wave properties
  • Path loss calculations (FSPL formula)
  • Spectrum trade-offs (licensed vs unlicensed)
  • Channel selection strategies
  • Technology selection for various scenarios

Quiz Features: - 12 comprehensive review questions - 3 additional practice questions - Detailed explanations for each answer - Visual reference gallery

Estimated Time: 45 minutes

820.4 Quick Reference: Technology Selection

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flowchart TD
    START([Cellular IoT<br/>Selection]) --> Q1{Device<br/>mobile?}

    Q1 -->|Yes - Moves| Q2{Need<br/>voice?}
    Q1 -->|No - Fixed| Q3{Deep indoor<br/>coverage?}

    Q2 -->|Yes| LTEM[LTE-M<br/>Asset tracking<br/>Wearables, Voice]
    Q2 -->|No| Q4{Data rate<br/>needed?}

    Q3 -->|Yes| NBIOT[NB-IoT<br/>Basements, meters<br/>10+ year battery]
    Q3 -->|No| Q4

    Q4 -->|<100 kbps| NBIOT
    Q4 -->|100 kbps - 1 Mbps| LTEM
    Q4 -->|>1 Mbps| Q5{Latency<br/>critical?}

    Q5 -->|Yes <10ms| URLLC[5G URLLC<br/>Industrial control<br/>V2X, Robotics]
    Q5 -->|No| EMBB[5G eMBB<br/>Video streaming<br/>AR/VR]

    style START fill:#2C3E50,stroke:#16A085,stroke-width:3px,color:#fff
    style LTEM fill:#16A085,stroke:#2C3E50,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style NBIOT fill:#16A085,stroke:#2C3E50,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style URLLC fill:#E67E22,stroke:#2C3E50,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff
    style EMBB fill:#E67E22,stroke:#2C3E50,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff

Figure 820.2

820.5 Cross-Hub Connections

Deep Dives: - Mobile Wireless Fundamentals - Cellular basics and spectrum - Cellular IoT Fundamentals - IoT-specific optimizations - NB-IoT - Narrowband cellular IoT - LTE-M Overview - Mobile cellular IoT

Comparisons: - LPWAN Comparison - Cellular vs LoRaWAN vs Sigfox - Wi-Fi vs Cellular - Local vs wide-area - 5G for IoT - Next generation cellular

RF Fundamentals: - Wireless Spectrum - Frequency bands and regulations - Link Budget Calculation - Path loss and range analysis - Antenna Design - Antenna selection for cellular

Learning: - Mobile Wireless Labs - Hands-on exercises - Quizzes Hub - Test your knowledge

820.6 Summary

This comprehensive review chapter covers advanced mobile wireless concepts for IoT:

Key Concepts: - Electromagnetic waves enable wireless communication through space - Frequency, wavelength, and energy are interrelated properties - The electromagnetic spectrum ranges from radio to gamma rays - IoT primarily uses radio frequencies (sub-GHz to 5 GHz)

Frequency Bands: - 2.4 GHz ISM: Universal, congested, balanced performance - 5 GHz: Higher bandwidth, shorter range, less interference - Sub-GHz: Long range, excellent penetration, lower bandwidth

Design Trade-offs: - Lower frequency leads to longer range, better penetration, lower bandwidth - Higher frequency leads to shorter range, higher bandwidth, more congestion - Licensed spectrum is operator-managed and can offer better interference control/QoS and coverage, but requires fees - Unlicensed spectrum is free but shared and interference-prone

Selection Criteria: - Match frequency band to application requirements (range, data rate, power) - Consider deployment environment and interference sources - Verify regional regulatory compliance - Balance performance needs against cost and complexity

Cellular IoT Technologies: - NB-IoT: Best for stationary sensors with deep indoor penetration needs - LTE-M: Optimal for mobile applications requiring voice support and handover - 5G (NR profiles): Emerging options (e.g., RedCap) and slicing/capacity features

820.7 What’s Next

Start with the first section of this comprehensive review:

  1. Cellular Network Architecture - Understand how cellular networks work for IoT
  2. Scenario-Based Analysis - Practice with real deployment scenarios
  3. Comprehensive Quiz - Test your knowledge

Or proceed to protocol-specific topics:

  • Wi-Fi for IoT: IEEE 802.11 standards, Wi-Fi 6/6E features, power save modes, and mesh networking
  • Bluetooth and BLE: Classic Bluetooth vs BLE, connection modes, GATT profiles, and beacon technologies
  • Zigbee and Thread: IEEE 802.15.4 mesh networking, routing protocols, and smart home applications
  • LoRaWAN: Long-range wide-area networks, spreading factors, adaptive data rate, and network server architecture
  • Cellular IoT: NB-IoT, LTE-M, and 5G IoT capabilities for wide-area connectivity