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The Wi-SUN Alliance, the industry group contributing to standards and testing programs associated with the IEEE 802.15.4g wireless standard specification for Smart Utility Networks, announced the launch of a new device certification program. The latest version of the Alliance’s Field Area Networks (FAN) specification, v1.1, improves the maximum data rate by almost ten times with very low-power operations that allow extended battery life and scalability to millions of nodes for gas and water meters. FAN 1.1 is also backward compatible with FAN 1.0, allowing new devices to seamlessly integrate with existing FAN networks for smooth and scalable network expansions.
The new Wi-SUN device certification program will certify that products such as smart meters, smart sensors, communications modules, and development kits are compliant with the FAN 1.1 wireless mesh specification. This certification will ensure that these devices adhere to strict cybersecurity and network resilience standards and are interoperable with other products on the same network.
IoT devices provide crucial insights into the operations of modern utilities and other large-scale networks. These smart IoT devices can help identify usage patterns and detect potentially disruptive issues before they happen. The open standards that Wi-SUN is based on also allow utilities and other IoT users to build efficient and reliable networks free of proprietary limitations—such as vendor lock-in—that add costs and risks.
A decentralized FAN allows communications to continue even if part of the network goes down. It also enables data transmission over much longer distances owing to its mesh capabilities, which are essential for large geographic networks, such as those deployed by utility companies. The first FAN 1.1 vendors are set to be certified in Q1 of 2025.
Learn more about Industrial and Outdoor Wireless LAN Infrastructure.