[HH] Firmware Updates over Low-Power Wide Area Networks

[Stephen Ronan]

Seems an impressive, valuable achievement by
ARM/Semtech/TheThingsNetwork enabling LoRaWAN firmware updates over
the air...

"A downside of these networks is that the data rates are much lower
than those of traditional radio networks. Data rates in LPWANs are
measured in bits per second, rather than megabytes per second.
Additionally, many of these networks operate in the unlicensed
spectrum (ISM band), which requires devices to adhere to duty cycle
limitations, only allowing to send a fraction of the time while
suffering from interference. These characteristics make it difficult
to support firmware updates over the air. This means you can never
update most of the devices deployed in the field: the devices are
deployed in places that are impossible to reach, or the cost of
sending a technician is too high with thousands of devices in a
variety of places.

"Not being able to update the firmware on IoT devices is unacceptable
when doing an actual deployment. First, it's impossible to write 100%
secure software — which have occurred many times in 2016. Second,
these devices are supposed to last up to ten years, so keeping up to
date with the latest standards and protocols becomes more and more
important. Lastly, being able to add functionality or specialize
devices throughout the lifetime, from manufacturing and distribution
to transfer of ownership or change of purpose, would secure various
business cases. This prompted Jan Jongboom (Principal Applications
Engineer, ARM) and Johan Stokking (CTO & Co-Founder, The Things
Industries), both active members of the LoRa Alliance (governing the
LoRaWAN standard), to work on a proposal to properly allow these
devices to update over LPWANs. A demonstration of this work will occur
at the LoRa Alliance All Members Meeting and Open House in
Philadelphia, June 12-14, 2017"
[...]

Lots of detail about how they've apparently achieved a viable method at:
https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/article/firmware-updates-over-low-power-wide-area-networks