A Study on LoRa Signal Propagation Models in Urban Environments for Large-Scale Networks Deployment

The development of Low-Power Wide-Area Networks is challenging in urban areas due to the terrain elevation changes, clutter losses or dense vegetation regions that attenuate the radio signals. To provide accurate coverage estimation, signal propagation models that integrate losses caused by reflections or attenuations should be used. In this study, we analyze two radio propagation models used for different urban environment configurations, Longley-Rice and ITU-R, to perform a coverage estimation of a LoRa communication network for large-scale deployments. According to our analysis results, validated by measurements, the Longley-Rice and ITU-R radio propagation models are suitable for an urban environment as they use vegetation path losses and could be adapted according to LoRa modulation requirements. Those propagation models are adjusted for real urban field measurements achieved from a point-to-point communication. The obtained results focus also on coverage optimization of a locally deployed LoRa network, considering the best gateway location for the optimum coverage. Thus, a low-cost deployment of the entire network is ensured by reducing the number of installed gateways.