Cellular IoT Network Selection Algorithm for Smart Grid Last Mile Communications

Both NB-IoT and LTE-M communications are designed for low-power and low-data-rate applications, making them ideal for IoT devices requiring cost-effective connectivity. In areas with weak signal strength, NB-IoT demonstrates an advantage over LTE-M due to its superior sensitivity and extended coverage. Conversely, in regions with stronger signal strength, LTE-M may deliver better performance and support higher data rates, making it suitable for applications requiring greater throughput. The choice of communication technology ultimately depends on the specific requirements of the IoT application and the signal strength characteristics of the deployment area. In this paper, we study three cellular IoT communication scenarios for smart grid last-mile communications, including the NB-IoT network, the LTE-M network, and the NB-IoT/LTE-M hybrid network. We also propose the IoT network selection algorithm for the NB-IoT/LTE-M hybrid network by using the averaged Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) thresholding method, resulting in a maximum averaged Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR). From the experimental results, the proposed network selection algorithm provides the maximum averaged SINR resulting in the optimized network stability, while the averaged RSRP is within the acceptable range. Therefore, the proposed network selection algorithm is easily adopted in the smart grid network planning process enabling the electricity utility to optimally deploy the smart meters in the target area.