LoRaWAN

The Technology

LoRaWAN operates on unlicensed frequency bands (typically 868 MHz in Europe and 915 MHz in the Americas), allowing utilities to deploy private or public networks without heavy infrastructure investments.

It uses a star-of-stars topology, where end devices (such as meters) communicate with one or more gateways that relay encrypted data to a centralized Network Server, and from there to the Head-End System (HES) or Meter Data Management (MDM).

This architecture is particularly efficient for low-bandwidth, long-distance communication, and can cover several kilometers per gateway — even in environments where cellular or PLC connectivity is limited.

LoRaWAN’s Adaptive Data Rate (ADR) mechanism dynamically adjusts transmission speed and power, balancing energy efficiency with network reliability.

Each data exchange is protected through end-to-end encryption and device authentication, ensuring that information remains secure from the meter to the cloud.

Integration at Andrea Informatique

Andrea Informatique integrates LoRaWAN communication stacks directly into its smart metering modules and embedded software platforms. This integration ensures that every LoRaWAN-enabled device remains DLMS/COSEM compliant, allowing it to coexist seamlessly within multi-technology ecosystems alongside PLC, RF, LTE, or NB-IoT devices.

Our LoRaWAN solutions are fully interoperable with Andrea’s core tools:

• Smarthawk enables configuration and remote monitoring of LoRaWAN-enabled meters.

• Colibri allows field technicians to perform installation, testing, and diagnostics via secure local interfaces.

• Phenix automates validation and interoperability testing, ensuring compliance with DLMS/COSEM and LoRa Alliance specifications.

This unified ecosystem simplifies integration for utilities and manufacturers while ensuring consistent behavior across all communication technologies.

Advantages of LoRaWAN for Smart Metering

LoRaWAN offers several key benefits that make it particularly suitable for smart metering applications:

• Extended range — up to 15 km in rural areas and 3–5 km in urban zones, enabling wide coverage with minimal infrastructure.

• Low power consumption — ideal for battery-powered meters, with lifetimes exceeding 10 years.

• High scalability — thousands of devices can connect to a single gateway, reducing operational costs.

• Secure and standardized — AES-128 encryption and mutual authentication protect data integrity.

• Easy deployment — quick setup for private or public networks without the need for complex wiring or costly licenses.

For utilities, this translates into reduced maintenance, lower total cost of ownership, and simplified rollout in both dense and remote areas.

Use Cases and Deployment Scenarios

LoRaWAN is particularly relevant in multi-utility and IoT environments where energy efficiency and remote accessibility are priorities.

Andrea supports utilities and manufacturers in deploying LoRaWAN for:

• Water metering, where long battery life and low data rate fit perfectly with consumption reporting cycles.

• Gas metering, where underground installations benefit from LoRaWAN’s high signal penetration.

• Electricity metering in rural zones, where cellular or PLC connectivity is limited.

• IoT infrastructure integration, linking metering data with sensors for environmental or grid management applications.

Our experts provide end-to-end support — from feasibility studies and network planning to field validation, firmware customization, and interoperability testing.