An interesting battle is underway to capture the market for monitoring devices. The latest entry into the market is 5G RedCap. This is a technology that is currently under development in chipsets and ought to hit the market in 2025 and 2026.
RedCap is the latest attempt by cellular carriers to monetize 5G. RedCap was defined in the 5G specification 3GPP Release 17. The technology allows for 5G devices that are less complex, less costly, and more power efficient than conventional 5G devices like smartphones. RedCap will compete for monitoring devices like sensors that send small packets of information continuously and require a long battery life. This will include devices like industrial wireless sensors, health wearables, and surveillance devices. Traditional 5G is not good for such devices because 5G chips add too much cost and use too much power.
5G RedCap devices will use fewer antennas and will support less bandwidth than a typical 5G connection. Fewer antennas, lower bandwidths, and different modes of operation will help to reduce power consumption. RedCap devices can transmit data without having to connect to a network – the RedCap device can transmit its bits and hope a network is receiving it.
Cellular carriers will be working on ways to monetize the new capability – perhaps by selling monthly subscriptions for all of the devices at a given site.
This contrasts with the other technologies used to monitor devices. For devices inside or near buildings, the monitoring technology of choice is free wireless connectivity using WiFi or Bluetooth. Devices can be monitored with these technologies without paying an additional fee. However, WiFi devices can still require more power than is being envisioned by RedCap. Most WiFi monitoring devices have to periodically be recharged, which is not always practical for a small device like a sensor that alerts the network if somebody walks through a hallway.
WiFi is not a good solution for monitoring outdoor devices that are not located very close to a WiFi network. WiFi also isn’t a good solution for something like a portable health wearable unless the user always carries a cellphone – an impractical requirement.
The other interesting player in the market is Amazon. The company launched its Sidewalk network in 2021. Amazon has created a local network that is established between Amazon devices in the home and neighborhood. The network uses a combination of Bluetooth and 900 MHz LoRa signals. This network can communicate with Amazon from devices inside a home, and the LoRa spectrum can pick up devices outside and in neighboring homes. Amazon says that it already covers over 90% of homes and wants to move that to over 95%.
A fourth technology in use today is using satellites to monitor remote devices. However, the electronics for such devices are neither low-cost nor low-power.
In looking at the various technologies, it’s clear that each technology will find a niche. RedCap seems best aimed at the mobility market. The technology will make it easier to sell wearable technology and anything else that is not stationary. RedCap might always fit into industrial situations where an operator is attracted to large numbers of low-power and low-cost sensors. But RedCap will come with a price, so when you buy a wearable device, be prepared for a monthly 5G fee.