LTN Activity Report 2014

Chairman: Alain Gaudon
Sigfox Wireless

Established to specify an Internet of Things (IoT) network dedicated to low throughput communications 

Machine-to-Machine communications and the IoT involve the connection of potentially billions of connected objects which need only low throughput connectivity. Low Throughput Networks (LTN) are expected to be crucial to the success of IoT standardisation and implementation, and to provide the basis for many new and innovative applications.

The anticipated benefits of creating a new dedicated IoT LTN include lower costs, the creation of new applications and a reduction in electromagnetic radiance by improving data transmission efficiency.

ETSI’s Industry Specification Group on LTN was set up to specify a new ultra narrowband radio technology for very low data rates for ultra long autonomy devices. 

In 2014, the group completed three ETSI Group Specifications on, respectively, LTN use cases, a dedicated architecture, and interfaces and protocols.

With the publication of these specifications in September 2014, the group has provided the foundation for mainstream standardisation work which will be undertaken in ETSI’s Electromagnetic Compatibility and Radio Spectrum Matters committee (TC ERM). At the end of the year, TC ERM began work on an ETSI Technical Report on LTN use cases and system requirements and two ETSI Technical Specifications which will specify respectively the LTN architecture and the protocols for LTN interfaces.