Development of an Empirical Path-Loss Model for Street-Light Telemetry

By Marcus C. Walden, Timothy Jackson & William Gibson

Abstract: This paper presents an initial empirical path-loss propagation model for communication links operating at streetlight/roof-top heights over the ranges of 100 m to 10 km in urban and suburban environments. The statistical path-loss model presented uses data taken from a significant number of deployed street-light telemetry systems transmitting in the licence-exempt/ ISM bands at 868 and 915 MHz. This propagation model provides a valuable tool for network planning where typical cellular propagation models might not be appropriate.

I. INTRODUCTION: Telensa Ltd. operate a network of street-light telemetry systems for a variety of customers (e.g. local and county councils) for control and monitoring of street lights. This capability is becoming desirable for energy efficiency and for service maintenance; for example, to switch off unnecessary lighting and/or to identify failing lights.

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