An Experimental Comparison of LoRa versus NB-IoT over Unlicensed Spectrum using Software Defined Radio

Abstract

In this paper, we present a comprehensive evaluation of two prominent low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN) tech-nologies, low power long range alliance (LoRa) and narrow-band internet-of-things (NB-IoT), which are widely used in the internet-of-things (IoT) sector. We investigate their performance under challenging conditions, specifically in a scenario where the signal is subject to non-line-of-sight (NLOS) reception caused by signal diffraction. Additionally, we analyze the potential application challenges and use cases for each technology and provide insight into which technology is more suitable for specific scenarios. Our findings aim to inspire future researchers and manufacturers in the field of LPWAN and IoT.