LoRa® is a long range radio in which every binary 0 and 1 that is to be transmitted is transmitted as a frequency pattern (spreading method). Although this increases the length of the protocol and the transmission time, it can still be filtered and received as an extremely weak signal using special methods. It was developed by the Semtec company. LoRa is suitable for the transmission of small amounts of data per unit of time.

The advantage of the LoRaWAN® Long Range radio technology is that the user is not dependent on an existing reception network. The user can install and operate one or more LoRaWAN® gateways himself. A network server is required to operate your own network. The user can set up and operate the server himself with the help of free software or he can use various network platforms such as TTN, MATCHX, DIGIMONDO or LORIOT.

Both radio standards work in Europe in the free 868 ISM radio frequency band. The maximum transmission powers that can be used for both are the same. With the wM-BUS, a point-to-point connection is established. Since most wM-BUS devices are unidirectional, there is only a simple transmission without feedback. With LoRaWAN®, every end device is integrated into the network. The connections are always encrypted twice. The range with LoRaWAN® in the built-up area is approx. 10 times that of the wM-BUS.

Only EHCAs of the same type and manufacturer may be used in a group of radiators to be billed jointly.

To record the costs of radiators, you need an EHCA with radio for each radiator. WM-BUS or LoRa can be used as radio. At LoRa, you can integrate yourself into an existing network or set up your own. With wM-BUS you can receive with a mobile receiver or a stationary gateway. Stationary is the better choice because, according to the EED guideline, you will soon have to read it several times a year. To parameterize and read out the EHCAs, you need an opto head and the MDC (Meter Device Comander). You need the AES keys of the individual EHCAs to decode the received data.

You need 1 or more GWs (Link) These are connected to your network via LAN cables. The gateway sends the data to the server (link). The server saves the raw data in a csv table or in a database. The csv table can be read in and decoded with the MDC (Link). As a result, you will receive a table with consumption values for further billing. For the variant of saving the data in a database, the same computer or a database server connected via LAN must be running. The server saves the received raw data in a database. Using a wM-BUS data decoder (link) that accesses the database and decrypts and decodes the received raw data, you receive an extra table with consumption values for each device.