Benefits of Sub-GHz

Most popular wireless devices operate on the 2.4 GHz band, including Wi-Fi hotspots, wireless routers, ZigBee, Bluetooth, and some wireless phones. In IoT (Internet of Things) applications, Sub-GHz wireless network technology is often applied.

Here are some of the characteristics of Sub-GHz networking and why it could be a great fit for IoT applications.

Solid Anti-interference

Airways are congested by colliding 2.4 GHz signals from various sources, such as WiFi hubs, Bluetooth-enabled computers, cell phones, and microwave ovens. The traffic jam of 2.4 GHz signals creates a lot of interference.

Sub-GHz bands use spectrums that have fewer existing products in the air. They are not as likely to interfere with each other. Relatively quieter spectrums mean easier transmissions and fewer retries, which are more efficient and save battery power.

Reliable Remote Transmission

The narrowband operation of Sub-GHz networking enables transmission ranges up to several hundreds of meters indoors. There are three primary reasons for Sub-GHz superior range performance over 2.4 GHz applications.

• The rate of signal attenuation increases at higher frequencies; therefore, the 2.4 GHz signal weakens faster than a Sub-GHz signal.
• In highly congested environments, the 2.4 GHz transmission weakens rapidly, which adversely affects signal quality.
• As frequencies decrease, the angle of diffraction increases. Sub-GHz signals bend farther around an obstacle than 2.4 GHz signals, reducing the blocking effect.

Low Power Consumption

All radio circuits running at higher frequencies, including low-noise amplifiers, power amplifiers, mixers, and synthesizers, need more current to achieve the same performance as lower frequencies.

Utilizing a frequency band under 1 GHz means sensor nodes use significantly less power than their 2.4 GHz equivalents.

Low Use Cost

The widespread adoption of Sub-GHz in industrial applications means that many vendors are offering chipsets with more integrated features, which drives solution costs down. 

Sub-GHz is an ideal technology choice for wireless applications requiring long-range and low power consumption. Long-range transmissions reduce the cost of locating intermediate base stations.