Adoption of LPWAN Continues to Explode, but Which IIoT Wireless Technology will Secure Supremacy?

As the market for commercial and industrial IoT applications grows rapidly, so too does demand for the communication technologies that enable them. This is especially true for remote sensor applications in which small amounts of data need to be transmitted wirelessly over a long range while using a minimal amount of power.

A few common examples of these low power wide area networks (LPWAN) include smart meters that report water or electricity usage back to utility providers; sensors that monitor soil quality in farming operations; tracking of oil and resource extraction assets; and smart city monitoring.

Among LPWAN wireless technologies, the LoRaWAN standard is the dominant player. Overseen and certified by the non-profit LoRa Alliance, the open, sub-gigahertz wireless technology has experienced exceptional growth in recent years. According to LoRa Alliance CEO Alper Yegin, 2025 marked an “inflection point” for the LoRaWAN standard, transitioning from pilot implementation and proof of concept projects to a new phase of  “sustained, exponential growth” driven by large scale applications globally.

According to the organization’s 2025 year-end report, roughly 125 million LoRaWAN devices have been deployed globally (outside of China) as of last year, representing a 25% compound annual growth rate. In addition, the number of certified devices reached 625 last year while membership in the LoRa Alliance itself surpassed 360 members, with 57 of those members joining in 2025.

Industry analysts are equally glowing about the open standard’s future. Most peg LoRaWAN’s current market value at roughly USD$4 to $5 billion but project it will grow to USD$100 to $160 billion by 2035.

For clarity sake, LoRa refers to wireless modulation technique that transmits data over long distances. Patents for that physical layer technology are held exclusively by Semtech Corporation. LoRaWAN refers to the license free networking protocol that defines the rules by which LoRa devices communicate within the unlicensed, sub-gigahertz ISM bands.

But, as with any high growth sector, a number of competitive wireless technologies are jockeying for position in the LPWAN space. In the sub-gigahertz unlicensed spectrum, Sigfox continues to hold on while relatively newer entrants like WiFi HaLow and MIoTy gain ground. The strongest competition, however, comes from the licensed spectrum side of the tracks, with 3GPP cellular standards including market leader NB-IoT (Narrowband IoT) and LTE-M.

While each of the above protocols are designed to serve the same general purpose, each is unique in terms of their respective power requirements, bandwidth, transmission range and mesh network or roaming capabilities.

In an interview with Machine Design, LoRa Alliance CEO, Alper Yegin, delves into the factors driving LoRaWAN’s rapid growth, how it compares to competitive LPWAN technologies and provides a preview of the direction he sees the LoRaWAN moving in the future.