Abstract:

With the dramatic increase in the number of IoT devices, wireless communication technologies in the Sub-1 GHz frequency bands featuring LPWAN are in disarray. These technologies include standardized IEEE 802.15.4g/Wi-SUN, IEEE 802.11ah/Wi-Fi HaLow, and proprietary SigFox, LoRaWAN and others. These communication technologies use lower frequencies than conventional Wi-Fi in the 2.4/5/6 GHz bands and are used in critical infrastructure such as smart meters in addition to applications such as sensor data collection, environmental monitoring and surveillance cameras for security. However, performance degradation has been observed on IEEE 802.15.4g in environments where IEEE 802.15.4g devices are densely deployed with other interfering devices. IEEE 802.19.3 specifies recommended best practices and coexistence mechanisms which enable IEEE 802.15.4g-FSK PHY and IEEE 802.11ah OFDM PHY based systems to effectively coexist in Sub-1 GHz bands. IEEE 802.19.3 was published in April 2021. Subsequently, new functions have been specified in the standards, frequency regulations have been updated and new market requirements have emerged. Accordingly, new coexistence mechanisms are needed. This paper describes the status and future prospects of the IEEE 802.19.3a Task Group started in March 2024 towards spectrum resource efficiency and higher network performance as an amendment of IEEE 802.19.3-2021 standard.