Wireless open source supremacy: osmocom-based networks for indoor and outdoor IoT applications deployment

Abstract

The telecommunications landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past three decades. From the early days of voice-only communication to today's era of high-speed data, video calls, and the Internet of Things (IoT), the journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. As we stand in the year 2023, it's essential to not only reflect on the past but also look ahead to what the future holds for telecommunications. As we move forward, the future of telecommunications holds exciting possibilities. The deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) networks promises unparalleled speed, low latency, and the ability to connect billions of devices simultaneously. The rise of AI, edge computing, network slicing, and IoT integration is reshaping industries, from healthcare and transportation to agriculture and smart cities. To address the unique requirements of IoT, 5G alone is not enough, and much more agile networks like 2G is required. Thus, it becomes imperative to look towards a new horizon with benefits that complement the limitations of IoT. So far, there are multiple directions to choose from to deploy IoT devices. However, in this work we focus on the use of the second generation of wireless technology (2G) for IoT applications, with more emphasis on the role of open source-based architectures that can entirely shift the paradigm of connectivity as discussed in [1]. More specifically, we explore the 2G-based open-source software called Osmocom and its potential to build IoT systems and applications. First, we talk about 1G because it's important to know the start of the wireless trend; second, we move towards the actual 2G and introduce the IoT technology. This will provide the background knowledge that will help in understanding the concept of using Open-Source wireless technology in deploying IoT applications. The paper also highlights the crucial role of Osmocom in enabling the transformation and convergence of these technologies to shape the future of telecommunications and IoT.