The strenghts and weaknesses of proven radio protocols
WIRELESS M-BUS
Specifications
Wireless M-Bus is a standard European protocol. It is defined for the 868Mhz (25mw) and 169Mhz (25mw and 500mw) frequency bands. It is a point-to-point protocol between EndPoints and RF data hubs. The protocol is bi-directional subject to conditions, for each sent frame, the EndPoint listens for any frames sent by the hub for a few hundred ms.
The advantages:
- European standard (interoperability)
- Two frequency ranges (868Mhz and 169Mhz)
The weaknesses:
- Restricted range of available sensors
- Short range of about 800m
- Bi-directional subject to conditions
WAVENIS
Specifications
Wavenis is a proprietary protocol developed by Coronis (France) currently known as Elster.
It is defined for the 868Mhz frequency band at 25mw and 500mw. It is a fully bi-directional point-to-point protocol.
The advantages:
- A wide range of sensors
- Bi-directional, possibility of waking a sensor at all times
- Assets installed in France
The weaknesses:
- Not standardised
- Complicated consumption management
- Frozen protocol and products
ACTIVE RFID
Specifications
Short range 868Mhz sensors, low consumption and long service life. Point-to-point architecture with a central node (RF hub), property and people traceability application in an open building.
HOMERIDER
Specifications
Short range 868Mhz sensors, low consumption and long service life. The latest generation includes a physical LoRa layer and a proprietary protocol layer. Several million points operational, mainly in the water sector.