Sigfox modules

Sigfox is a private company that aims to build a worldwide network especially designed for IoT devices. The network is cellular, with thousands of base stations deployed in each country. Sigfox technology offers very long ranges for low-power, battery-constrained nodes. Sigfox is great for very simple and autonomous devices which need to send small amounts of data to this ubiquitous network, taking advantage on the Sigfox infrastructure.

So Sigfox is similar to cellular (GSM-GPRS-NB-IoT-Cat-M-4G) but is more energy-efficient, and the annual fees are lower.

Sigfox uses a UNB (Ultra Narrow Band) based radio technology to connect devices to its global network. The use of UNB is key to providing a scalable, high-capacity network, with very low energy consumption, while maintaining a simple and easy to rollout star-based cell infrastructure.

Figure: Sigfox module

• Frequency

  • Sigfox EU module: ISM 868 MHz

  • Sigfox US module: ISM 900 MHz

  • Sigfox AU / APAC / LATAM module: ISM 900 MHz

• TX power

  • Sigfox EU module: up to 16 dBm

  • Sigfox US module: up to 24 dBm

  • Sigfox AU / APAC / LATAM module: up to 24 dBm

• ETSI limitation: 140 messages of 12 bytes, per module per day

• Range: Typically, each base station covers some km. Check the Sigfox network.

• Chipset consumption

  • Sigfox EU module: TX 51 mA @ 14 dBm

  • Sigfox US module: TX 230 mA @ 24 dBm

  • Sigfox AU / APAC / LATAM module: TX 230 mA @ 24 dBm

• Radio data rate: 100 bps

• Receive sensitivity: -126 dBm

• Sigfox certificate: Class 0u (the highest level)

The network operates in the globally available ISM bands (license-free frequency bands) and co-exists in these frequencies with other radio technologies, but without any risk of collisions or capacity problems.

Sigfox is being rolled out worldwide. It is the responsibility of the system integrator to consult the catalog of SNOs (Sigfox Network Operators) for checking coverage in the deployment area.

The Sigfox back-end provides a web application interface for device management and configuration of data integration, as well as standards based web APIs to automate the device management and implement the data integration.

Figure: Sigfox network

Related API libraries: WaspSigfox.h, Waspsigfox.cpp

All information about their programming and operation can be found in the Sigfox Networking Guide.

All the documentation is located in the Development section in the Libelium website.