Industrial SIM-less Communications
“SIM-less Industrial” is a set of technologies that provide a solution for the communication of a large number of sensors, at a low cost and with low energy consumption. We tell you about the two ...
When we talk about “Mobile SIM-less” communications in the field of mobile telephony, we are referring to a technology aimed at eliminating current SIM cards. The concept of “Industrial SIM-less” is applied to the Industrial, Infrastructure and Smart Cities sectors. We can describe as Industrial SIM-less communications those that do not depend on classic GSM/GPRS/3G/4G operator solutions.
In the field of industry, infrastructure and Smart Cities, the number of points that can be communicated is very large. Due to the large number of points to be communicated, the hardware cost and the electrical consumption of 3G/4G technologies, it is necessary to find another technology or technologies to solve this scenario.
Regarding “Mobile SIM-less” communications, we can say that ETSI and GSMA are working on the standardization of the technology SIM-less for mobile phones. The implementation involves the inclusion of specific eSIM hardware that replaces the current SIM.
A priori, there are several advantages. The eSIM can be reprogrammed and therefore would allow easy network migration. The classic problems associated with SIM cards, such as mechanical/electrical connection failures, also disappear with eSIM. Mobile SIM-less applies to GSM/GRPS/3G/4G telephony and data communications.
“SIM-less Industrial” is a set of technologies that provide a solution for the communication of a large number of sensors, at low cost and with low energy consumption. There are two different approaches or solutions for two different scenarios:
A first scenario represents a set of sensors that require communicating data generally by exception, in a programmed way and with a specific period, or depending on an event (digital signal, temperature higher or lower than a limit). In this first scenario, the data travels in one direction only, from the sensor to the data acquisition system. Occasionally and with a very limited frequency, it is possible to communicate from the acquisition system to the sensors. In a scenario with a high or very high density of sensors, the desirable solution is one based on a Global Data Communications network. GSM/3G/4G communication technologies cannot be used in ultra-low consumption devices. On the other hand, the frequencies used in GSM/3G/4G are not ideal for low consumption systems.
The Global Data Communications network must use radio technologies that allow communicating sensors located in difficult environments, occasionally underground, and that at the same time can work at very low powers, as they are low consumption devices.
Operator solutions, such as the SIGFOX network, offer international coverage, operating in ISM radio bands with UNB technology. These characteristics make this type of network suitable for solving the first scenario.
A second scenario represents a set of sensors and actuators that require communicating data to the data acquisition system, which in turn requires sending commands to the actuators. In this scenario, communications flow in both directions, unlike in the previous case, in which there were only communications from sensor to supervision, or very occasionally from supervision to sensor. In a scenario with a high density of sensors and actuators, in which bidirectional communications are required, the desirable solution is a Short-range Wireless Network. In this scenario, classic GSM/3G/4G technologies are not applicable for the same reasons as in the previous scenario.
A Short-range Wireless Network must use radio technologies that allow bidirectional communication between the data acquisition system and the sensors and actuators located in difficult environments. At the same time, it must be possible to work at very low powers, as they are low consumption devices. The frequencies used must be sufficiently low to allow good penetration inside manholes, cabinets, buildings, etc.
The ISM radio modems, together with the ISM wireless sensors
It is worth highlighting the emergence of technologies that are halfway between operator solutions, such as SIGFOX, and short-range wireless private network solutions. Radio technologies such as LoRa allow implementing short and medium range wireless communication networks.
The SIM less concept, applied to industrial communications, does not refer to the use of SIMs in mobile phones, but rather refers to data communications with sensors and actuators, in low consumption and high device density environments. SIM-less industrial can be called any low power wireless data communication, excluding GSM, 3G, 4G, Wifi, Wimax, conventional analog radio and conventional digital radio.
