Cisco has announced its decision to exit the LoRaWAN market, ceasing sales of new products from January 2025 and ending support by December 2029. This move involves retiring 47 products, including gateways, sensors, and management software. Cisco stated, “There is no replacement available for the Cisco LoRaWAN at this time. Cisco will be exiting the LoRaWAN space. There is no planned migration for Cisco LoRaWAN gateways.”
As Cisco phases out its support, the LoRa Alliance, which includes members like AWS and Microsoft, remains optimistic. They highlighted a vibrant market with many alternative suppliers available through their marketplace. Affected customers are encouraged to explore these options. Cisco has suggested possible trade-ins of outdated products and availability through its refurbished equipment program. However, software support will end by the beginning of 2026, with hardware support ceasing by 2029.
The LoRa Alliance downplays Cisco’s exit, citing robust global growth in LoRaWAN-based IoT solutions across multiple sectors. Alper Yegin, interim CEO, emphasized that the ecosystem’s expansion continues unabated, driven by new use cases addressing global business and community needs. He remarked, “We can confidently say that the LoRaWAN ecosystem continues to see substantial global growth and innovation across multiple industries… The market… is not only thriving but expanding, with new use cases emerging daily to meet the evolving needs of businesses and communities worldwide.”
For LoRaWAN enthusiasts, diversity in vendor availability is a plus. The standard’s open nature means no singular dependence on Cisco or any specific vendor, ensuring ongoing product availability. Members of the LoRa Alliance support this ecosystem, allowing businesses to transition smoothly without disruption.
Although Cisco’s departure marks the loss of a key player, the resilient and adaptable nature of the LoRaWAN standard offers continued support and development. Stakeholders should remain vigilant and adaptive to the evolving landscape and consider emerging innovations that can address current and future needs in IoT solutions.
