In this exclusive IoT Insider article, Steven Drewett, CEO of Concept13, highlights the transformative potential of LoRaWAN in shaping the Internet of Things (IoT) landscape in 2025.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has become a transformative industry. For consumers, it’s the convenience of everyday devices like smart fridges and pet tracking devices that make daily life simple. However, for organisations in sectors such as building management, utilities, digital connectivity, and public health, IoT represents one of the most important technological shifts of our time, going far beyond convenience. It provides fundamental, macro-level insights that are driving the new world and accelerating AI advancements.
With IoT poised to connect over 40 billion devices by 2030, LoRaWAN has emerged as a critical enabler for low-power, long-range connectivity, transforming industries globally.
LoRaWAN: a key enabler of IoT
Connectivity is the driver of successful IoT adoption, enabling the seamless integration of digital and physical devices across several global industries. Amidst a multitude of connectivity options, LoRaWAN has emerged as a proprietary modulation that enables low bitrate, low-power, and long-range communications. According to ABI Research, by 2026, LoRaWAN will account for more than half of all non-cellular Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN connections), cementing its status as the leading non-cellular IoT connectivity technology today.
To understand LoRaWAN’s importance, it’s vital to assess the challenges that traditional IoT connectivity solutions face. Most wireless technologies force solution providers to choose between range, power consumption, and cost. Wi-Fi offers high bandwidth but limited range and high-power requirements. Cellular networks provide extensive coverage but at significant cost and power consumption. Bluetooth offers energy efficiency but minimal range.
LoRaWAN emerges as a solution that fundamentally reimagines this trade-off. By focusing on the specific needs of IoT devices – which typically transmit small amounts of data infrequently – LoRaWAN creates a new paradigm in wireless communication.
LoRaWAN’s design prioritises bi-directional communication, end-to-end security, mobility, and localisation services. As a LPWAN protocol, it is specifically engineered to connect battery-operated devices across vast and remote distances. In addition, its scalability and affordability make it stand out as the preferred choice for businesses offering reliable and cost-efficient IoT solutions.
Spanning a decade of dedicated excellence, Concept13 invests significantly in research and thorough hardware analysis to help businesses implement seamless LoRaWAN solutions and achieve ongoing success and cost-savings.
Precise granular information
LoRaWAN leverages LoRa (Long Range) radio modulation technology to transmit small data packets over unlicensed frequency bands, ensuring cost-efficiency and accessibility. Its applications span stationary IoT deployments such as smart buildings, utility meters, and industrial monitoring systems.
Drewett explained: “It’s not about high bandwidth; it’s about the capability and capacity of sensors, many of which are battery-powered, and the volume of devices they can connect. The essence of LoRaWAN lies in its ability to reliably transmit small, precise packets of granular data, such as temperature, humidity, or water flow pressure.”

Key features of LoRaWAN include:
Long range: coverage can extend up to 15-20km in rural areas, 2-5km in dense urban environments and up to 800m indoors
Low power: devices can operate for years on a single battery, making it ideal for remote or hard-to-reach areas
Scalability: supports thousands of devices per network, enabling large-scale IoT deployments
Robust security: ensures data integrity and confidentiality through AES-128 encryption
Increased investment in LoRaWAN applications
The global LoRaWAN market was valued at $3.7 billion in 2024, and with a projected annual growth rate of 41.1% from 2025 to 2034, the technology is positioned to revolutionise industrial automation, smart city initiatives, and enterprise-scale IoT deployments.
A surge fuelled by an increase in investment into smart city initiatives, this number emphasises advancements in transportation, communication, energy, health and safety, building management, and waste management systems.
While urban centres benefit from advanced connectivity infrastructure, rural regions face persistent challenges in network accessibility and performance. LoRaWAN technology presents a potential solution to this disparity through its long-range capabilities and cost-effective deployment model. However, implementation challenges persist, particularly regarding satellite communication bandwidth limitations and associated operational costs.
Emerging trends in 2025
Capitalising on this tremendous growth, several global trends are expected to shape the evolution of LoRaWAN technology beyond the next 12 months:
Development of smart regions: modern cities face unprecedented challenges in resource management, environmental, monitoring, and service delivery. LoRaWAN enables a new approach to these challenges by allowing cities to deploy thousands of sensors at a fraction of the cost of traditional solutions. For example, a single LoRaWAN gateway can monitor water meters, air quality sensors, and parking spaces across several city blocks, operating for years on minimal power
Advancements in sensor and device technology: improvements in device miniaturisation, energy efficiency, and functionality are expected to drive down costs and enhance performance. Additionally, LoRaWAN’s compatibility with satellite communication will expand coverage to remote areas, benefiting applications like natural resource monitoring and logistics. Manufacturing facilities are discovering how LoRaWAN can transform their operations. Instead of relying on expensive wired sensors or power-consuming wireless solutions, factories can deploy LoRaWAN sensors throughout their facilities to monitor equipment health, track assets, and optimise production processes
Increased security: as IoT technology advances, the importance of robust cybersecurity could not be more crucial. In 2025, the LoRaWAN industry will focus heavily on improving security protocols to counter potential threats, working on enhanced encryption standards, real-time threat detection, and secure firmware updates to ensure that LoRaWAN networks remain resilient in an increasingly connected world
5G integration: LoRaWAN and 5G are anticipated to complement each other, combining 5G’s high-speed, low-latency capabilities with LoRaWAN’s long-range, energy-efficient communication. This synergy will enhance IoT ecosystems, supporting applications ranging from autonomous vehicles to environmental monitoring. Together, they create a more complete IoT ecosystem
Emergence of Low-Power Local-Area Networks (LPLAN): the shift towards private IoT networks, or LPLANs, is expected to gain momentum, offering enterprises control over network performance and energy efficiency. This transition reflects a move away from operator-led wide-area networks towards tailored, localised deployments
Support for ESG reporting: LoRaWAN’s sensor-based capabilities support Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting by helping companies meet sustainability goals and regulatory requirements. Its reliable, low-power connectivity enables real-time monitoring and management of energy consumption, air quality, environmental data, and resource utilisation, allowing businesses to collect, analyse, and act on data independently of their location
Bridging the digital divide: one of LoRaWAN’s most significant impacts lies in its potential to address the growing digital divide between urban and rural areas. Unlike technologies that require dense infrastructure deployment, LoRaWAN’s long range makes it particularly suited for rural applications. A single gateway can cover several square kilometres, making it economically viable to provide IoT connectivity to previously underserved areas
The future is bright for LoRaWAN
LoRaWAN represents more than just another wireless technology – it embodies a fundamental shift in how we approach IoT connectivity. Its unique combination of range, power efficiency, and cost-effectiveness opens new possibilities for organisations across various global sectors. As we continue to build more connected and sustainable environments, LoRaWAN’s role in enabling this transformation becomes increasingly central.
To delve deeper into the complexities of building a global LoRaWAN platform and gain valuable insights, we invite you to download Concept13’s new whitepaper, curated with their valued suppliers. This comprehensive resource explores the challenges and opportunities in creating scalable, reliable LoRaWAN IoT solutions for a connected world.
Concept13 is exhibiting at the upcoming IoT Tech Expo Global on 5th-6th February at Olympia, London. Celebrating a decade of LoRaWAN experience, Steven Drewett will be present at the event alongside his dedicated suppliers on booth 92.
Read Concept13’s latest whitepaper HERE.
You can also get directly in contact with Steven by calling +44 (0) 333 335 0345.