The Business of LoRaWAN

MeteoScientific
  • 5.0 (3)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

All about the business of LoRaWAN. How it works, who uses it, why, how they save or make money with it. Conversations with IoT pros willing to share their knowledge and help your business.

  1. LoRaWAN In Space - Jon Pearce & Lacuna Space

    2D AGO

    LoRaWAN In Space - Jon Pearce & Lacuna Space

    The episode explores how Lacuna Space uses LoRaWAN over low‑Earth‑orbit satellites to solve the traditional coverage limitations of terrestrial LoRaWAN networks. Jon Pearce explains that Lacuna targets low-power, low-bandwidth IoT use cases where devices send small, infrequent data packets directly from sensor to satellite, trading bandwidth for battery life and global reach. Jon describes the company’s developer kit and antenna approach, along with typical data profiles such as water metering and environmental monitoring that can tolerate a few uplinks per day. Pearce also outlines how Lacuna scales its constellation based on capacity and specific customer requirements, including sovereign or national deployments, and how it partners with other satellite operators to embed Lacuna technology on their spacecraft. Throughout, he contrasts Lacuna’s model with legacy high-bandwidth satellite services and emphasizes the economics of expanding constellations for large, well-defined IoT rollouts like nationwide smart metering. Jon Pearce on LinkedIn Lacuna Space Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it. MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

    26 min
  2. From Ham Radio to 1,000+ Motes: Scaling LoRaWAN the Hard Way - Dana Myers - Meter.me

    FEB 25

    From Ham Radio to 1,000+ Motes: Scaling LoRaWAN the Hard Way - Dana Myers - Meter.me

    Dana Myers, CTO of Lamarr, talks about taking LoRaWAN from curiosity to critical infrastructure. A longtime systems engineer and ham radio operator, Dana explains how his early experimentation with LoRa in the 900 MHz band evolved into deploying hundreds of production devices monitoring water tanks and wells across rural terrain. He walks through the pivotal moment when Lamarr abandoned an expensive, Raspberry Pi-based “Combox” approach and shifted to low-power LoRaWAN end nodes, cutting costs by an order of magnitude and making the business viable. The conversation dives into what really changes as you move from one prototype to 100 and then to more than 1,000 deployed motes in revenue operation, including hardware revisions, battery budgeting, vendor selection, and the decision to stop building everything in-house. Dana also breaks down common misconceptions about LoRaWAN, particularly the tendency to treat it like a real-time broadband network. He explains why LoRaWAN requires a mindset shift toward small, infrequent data transmissions, report-on-change logic, and simplicity at the edge. Firmware over-the-air updates, ADR expectations, and backend-driven innovation are all examined through the lens of practical deployment. The episode closes with Dana’s direct advice to young engineers entering the LoRaWAN space: understand your customers, avoid sunk cost traps, fail fast when necessary, and design for simplicity from day one. Dana on LinkedIn Meter.me Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it. MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

    27 min
  3. When UX Meets LoRaWAN - Ofer Tenenbaum at Meter.me

    FEB 18

    When UX Meets LoRaWAN - Ofer Tenenbaum at Meter.me

    Ofer Tenenbaum, CEO of meter.me, talks about bringing LoRaWAN into one of the toughest real-world environments: rural water infrastructure. Instead of focusing on radio specs or backend architecture alone, Ofer approaches IoT as a UX problem. His mission is to “friendlify” complex systems so plumbers, pump installers, and ranch operators can deploy and manage LoRaWAN without needing to understand SNR, payloads, or networking jargon. The conversation begins with the scale of water loss in rural environments, where silent leaks can multiply annual usage by hundreds of percent. Ofer explains why visibility, not just connectivity, is the first step toward solving these losses. From there, he outlines how meter.me combines monitoring and control, effectively operating in SCADA territory where reliability is non-negotiable. Water for cattle, irrigation, and fire suppression demands backend redundancy, disciplined change management, and a deep respect for LoRaWAN’s constraints. A major focus of the discussion is how AI fits into industrial IoT. Rather than using AI as a marketing layer, meter.me deploys it for anomaly detection and conversational setup, allowing installers to configure automation through natural language instead of complex forms and thresholds. Ofer also shares how constant user observation, field visits, SaaS interaction analytics, and structured feedback loops shape product evolution. This episode offers practical insight for LoRaWAN business leaders, engineers, and system integrators: real differentiation often comes not from the radio, but from how seamlessly the technology fits into the workflow of the people using it. Ofer on LinkedIn Meter.me Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it. MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

    18 min
  4. IoT Has a Marketing Problem. Here’s What to Fix. - Afzal Mangal

    FEB 11

    IoT Has a Marketing Problem. Here’s What to Fix. - Afzal Mangal

    Afzal Mangal, former founder of IoT Creators at Deutsche Telekom and founder of Hello Things, talks about why most IoT companies are solving the wrong problem. After years building and scaling IoT platforms inside a global telecom, Afzal argues that the biggest constraint in IoT isn’t technology — it’s momentum. In this conversation, he explains why marketing is consistently undervalued in IoT, why the industry must “sell the problem before the solution,” and how companies across the value chain — from device makers to network operators — share responsibility for developing the market. Using practical examples, including temperature monitoring in pharma and everyday connected devices that users don’t even recognize as IoT, Afzal makes the case that adoption fails when the category itself isn’t clearly understood. He also discusses Hello Things, his new initiative focused on collective market development. Rather than leaving ecosystem growth to chance, Afzal proposes coordinated storytelling and consistent messaging to move IoT beyond its internal bubble and into mainstream decision-making. For LoRaWAN professionals, this is particularly relevant: he highlights how authentic community-driven engagement has given LoRaWAN an edge over traditional cellular IoT approaches. The episode also explores how small engineering-heavy teams can use AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity as practical co-pilots for research, strategy, and messaging without sacrificing technical integrity. For founders, engineers, and ecosystem builders alike, Afzal’s perspective reframes IoT growth as a business discipline, not just a technical one. Guest Links Afzal on LinkedIn Afzal on the web Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it. MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

    25 min
  5. What Powers You? Klas Engström & Batteries for LoRaWAN - Nichicon

    FEB 4

    What Powers You? Klas Engström & Batteries for LoRaWAN - Nichicon

    Klas Engström, Sales Director at Nichicon, talks about how power architecture decisions quietly determine whether IoT deployments succeed or fail at scale. Drawing on more than a decade at Nichicon, Klas explains why batteries are often treated as an afterthought in device design, and why that mindset breaks down once LoRaWAN devices move from prototypes to real-world, long-life deployments. The conversation centers on lithium titanate oxide (LTO) batteries and where they fit between supercapacitors and conventional lithium-ion. Klas outlines three practical use cases where LTO excels: energy-harvesting systems that need continuous recharge with high pulse currents, hybrid designs that extend the lifetime of primary batteries by offloading power spikes, and applications where fast charge times enable entirely new duty cycles. Rather than positioning LTO as a universal replacement, he is clear about tradeoffs in capacity and cost, and why understanding current capability and lifetime behavior matters more than headline milliamp-hours. Klas also discusses Nichicon’s work on self-charging batteries using indoor photovoltaic cells, demonstrating how LoRaWAN devices can remain energy-autonomous even at high spreading factors under typical indoor lighting. The episode explores cold-temperature performance, safety characteristics compared to other lithium chemistries, and why LTO can be charged and discharged safely at temperatures where most batteries fail. Throughout the discussion, Klas emphasizes total cost of ownership, arguing that service visits and battery replacements often dwarf component costs in real deployments. For business leaders, engineers, and advanced builders alike, this episode reframes power as a strategic design decision rather than a line item on the bill of materials. Links: Klas on LinkedIn Nichicon Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it. MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

    19 min
  6. Custom Database For LoRaWAN - Derek Tuando and LoRaDB

    JAN 28

    Custom Database For LoRaWAN - Derek Tuando and LoRaDB

    Derek Tuando, IoT specialist and creator of LoRaDB, talks about why traditional databases often fall short when applied to real-world LoRaWAN deployments, and what changes when data systems are designed with devices—not tables or tags—as the primary organizing principle. Derek explains what an IoT database actually is, drawing clear distinctions between general-purpose databases, time-series tools, and systems purpose-built for LoRaWAN workloads. He outlines the practical challenges that emerge as projects grow beyond early pilots, including query complexity, usability issues, and the friction teams face when stitching together multiple tools just to visualize and understand device data. The conversation dives into the core idea behind LoRaDB’s device-first data model, where all data is organized around a device’s identity rather than abstract measurements. Derek walks through how this approach simplifies querying, speeds up exploration, and makes LoRaWAN data more intuitive to work with—especially for small teams, hobbyists, and lean organizations managing thousands to tens of thousands of devices. Derek also discusses where LoRaDB fits today, including its strengths in ease of setup, open-source accessibility, and built-in visualization, as well as its current limitations around high availability and large-scale enterprise deployments. He shares how the project is being used in production, why it’s designed to complement existing LoRaWAN stacks like ChirpStack, and how future improvements are focused on lowering the barrier for new users rather than chasing complexity. This episode offers a grounded look at the data layer of LoRaWAN systems, with practical insights for builders, operators, and businesses deciding how to store, query, and actually use the data their devices generate. Links Derek on LinkedIn LoRaDB on Github Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it. MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

    14 min
  7. A Peek Into the Future of LoRaWAN - Remí Demerlé - Semtech

    JAN 21

    A Peek Into the Future of LoRaWAN - Remí Demerlé - Semtech

    Rémi Demerlé, senior leader at Semtech and a long-time contributor to the LoRaWAN ecosystem, talks about where LoRaWAN is heading next as the technology moves beyond its first decade of large-scale deployments. Rather than revisiting familiar smart metering ground, Rémi offers a forward-looking view into emerging network models and new classes of applications. He explains how real-world deployment challenges have led to the development of mobile and drive-by LoRaWAN gateways, including trucks equipped to collect data in areas where fixed infrastructure isn’t possible. That same thinking is now evolving toward fly-by collection, opening the door to drones and other mobile platforms as part of future LoRaWAN architectures. Rémi also discusses upcoming work within the LoRa Alliance around network discovery, a specification designed to support these mobile collection scenarios and extend coverage in hard-to-reach environments. He explores how alternative radio modes like FLRC expand bandwidth on existing LoRa hardware, enabling new use cases that sit outside traditional low-data sensor models. Looking ahead, the conversation touches on how LoRaWAN data feeds into AI-driven analytics, particularly for anomaly detection and operational optimization, and how this combination shifts value creation from connectivity alone to actionable insight. Rémi closes by highlighting LoRaWAN’s growing role in renewable energy, including monitoring and control of solar infrastructure at massive scale, where radio performance in dense metal environments and low operational cost become decisive advantages. Links: Remí on LinkedIn Semtech Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it. MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

    26 min
  8. The Journey to Pro - LoRaWAN in Argentina & Globally - Rodrigo Hernandez - IoT Consulting

    JAN 9

    The Journey to Pro - LoRaWAN in Argentina & Globally - Rodrigo Hernandez - IoT Consulting

    Rodrigo Hernandez, IoT consultant, educator, and author of Practical IoT Handbook, talks about building LoRaWAN systems that survive outside the lab and deliver real business value. Drawing on his early work with The Things Network and years of hands-on deployments, Rodrigo shares how his journey started with experimental LoRa links and single-channel gateways and evolved into consulting on full-scale IoT systems across multiple industries and countries. The conversation explores why LoRaWAN is such a strong fit for large, sparsely connected regions like Argentina, and how that same logic applies globally to agriculture, oil and gas, utilities, and building management. Rodrigo explains why LoRaWAN should be treated as a strategic infrastructure layer rather than just a radio protocol, emphasizing long battery life, unattended operation, and the ability to cover remote or difficult environments with minimal operational overhead. He also digs into the realities of deployment, including why site knowledge still matters, how interference and placement can make or break a project, and what separates successful IoT rollouts from those that struggle. Using real consulting examples, Rodrigo highlights common failure points such as poor sensor choice, lack of on-site expertise, and underestimating the complexity of data handling once devices are live. The episode closes with a deep look at IoT data visualization and analytics, where Rodrigo explains why clean, well-structured data is essential for meaningful dashboards, how heterogeneous payloads create hidden costs, and why getting data normalization right early is critical for long-term scalability and business insight. Practical IoT Handbook - Amazon Affiliate Link Rodrigo Hernandez on LinkedIn Helium Global IoT Coverage - Want to know if Helium coverage exists where you need it? Check out this map!Helium Foundation - The Helium Foundation's IoT Working Group (IOTWG) has generously provided support for the first 6 months of shows, please go check them out and consider using the Helium LoRaWAN as a primary or backup on your next deployment. With over a quarter million gateways deployed worldwide, it's likely that you have and can use Helium coverage.Support The Show - If you'd like to support the MetSci Show financially, here's where you can donate on a one-time or an ongoing basis. Thank you!MetSci Show - If you'd like to use our IoT or AI Data Value calculators, or you'd like to contact me, the MetSci Show site is the best way to do it. MeteoScientific Console - Use LoRaWAN - The MeteoScientific Console allows you to use LoRaWAN today. As long as you have Helium coverage (and you probably do, about 90% of populated areas in the world have a gateway within 2 miles), you can onboard a sensor. You can always check coverage at https://explorer.helium.com and switch to the "IoT" tab in the top right.

    23 min
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All about the business of LoRaWAN. How it works, who uses it, why, how they save or make money with it. Conversations with IoT pros willing to share their knowledge and help your business.

Information

  • Creator
    MeteoScientific
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 MeteoScientific
  • Show Website
    The Business of LoRaWAN