We’re planning an asset tracking deployment for 300+ pieces of equipment across multiple facilities and outdoor yards in twx-96. Trying to decide on the best connectivity approach - cellular, LoRa, or WiFi. Each has trade-offs I’m trying to understand better. Cellular provides broad coverage and reliable connectivity but has ongoing data costs and higher power consumption. LoRa offers low power and good range but requires gateway infrastructure and has limited data bandwidth. WiFi works great indoors where we have coverage but fails in outdoor yards and remote areas. I’m particularly interested in real-world experiences with coverage and reliability - how well does each technology handle mobility as assets move between locations? What about power consumption for battery-powered trackers - can LoRa really last years on a single battery? And from an integration complexity standpoint, which connects most easily to ThingWorx? We need to track location updates every 5-15 minutes and monitor asset status (on/off, temperature, vibration). Would appreciate perspectives on which connectivity approach works best for mixed indoor/outdoor asset tracking scenarios.
The cost and complexity trade-offs are becoming clearer. Sounds like a hybrid approach might work - cellular for high-value assets that need frequent updates and rich data, LoRa for the bulk of equipment where basic tracking is sufficient. What about the gateway infrastructure for LoRa - how many gateways would we realistically need for mixed indoor/outdoor coverage across say 50 acres?
Cellular is more expensive but gives you flexibility. No gateway infrastructure to maintain, works anywhere with cell coverage, and can handle richer data if needed. Power consumption has improved significantly with NB-IoT and LTE-M technologies - we’re getting 2-3 years on battery with 10-minute updates. The data costs aren’t as bad as you’d think - about $2-5 per device per month for IoT-specific plans.
From ThingWorx integration perspective, cellular is easiest - direct MQTT or HTTP connection from device to platform. LoRa requires gateway integration and often a network server in between, adding complexity. WiFi is straightforward but you’ll need to handle roaming and reconnection logic as devices move. We use cellular for critical assets that need reliable connectivity and LoRa for less critical assets where battery life matters more.