Analog and mixed-signal chipmaker Semtech Corp. is collaborating with Amazon to provide long range (LoRa) low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) connectivity for Amazon Sidewalk.
Amazon Sidewalk is a neighborhood crowd-sourced wireless network that is intended to simplify device setup, expand the range of low bandwidth applications and provide functionality when devices are offline. The network is designed to work not just inside the home but outside as well. Amazon Sidewalk uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), the 900 MHz spectrum and other frequencies such as LoRa to expand the range of home Wi-Fi.
Semtech’s LoRa platform does this by extending the range of a home network to connect both indoors and outdoors including smart home devices, smart lights, pet trackers, sensors for asset tracking, smart irrigation and other low cost internet of things (IoT) devices for residential use.
The forecast for the global smart home market is expected to grow by a factor of five to reach more than $192 billion by 2023, up from $41 billion in revenues from 2018, according to market research firm IHS Markit.
Smart home devices are generally reliant on the connectivity in the home — typically Bluetooth and Wi-Fi — but these are limited in range. LoRa and Amazon Sidewalk will have access to smart home solutions that work out of the box with extended connectivity and battery life.
