The Computer Network Information Center (CNIC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences officially joined the LoRa-Alliance as a research institute and been included in the Institutional Member List. CNIC is one of the first institutional members and also the first Chinese research organization that joined the Alliance. Other institutional members include New Hampshire University, US, CentraleSupélec, France, Trinity College of the University of Dublin, Ireland and other five research institutions.

LoRa-Alliance is an open and non-profitable organization. It was initiated by industry leaders with a mission to standardize Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) being deployed around the world to enable Internet of Things (IoT), machine-to-machine (M2M), smart city, and industrial applications. Members include many industrial giants like Semtech, IBM and Cisco, and others like telecommunication companies, equipment manufacturers, sensor and semi-conductor vendors and entrepreneurial start-ups, coming from organizations of all types around the world addressing all aspects of the Eco-system.

With the collaboration of among its members, LoRaWAN is making rapid development. So far, the Alliance has accomplished scripts of LoRa protocol standard in many countries (China included). Moreover, some European operators like Orange, Bouygues have already deployed their trial network and carried out their plans to build smart cities. In order to make further developments, the alliance calls for members around the world especially for research institutions.  

The Internet of Things Information Technology and Application Laboratory (IoT laboratory) of CNIC aims at creating innovative technologies and applications in IoT related areas, such as LPWAN and name services. The IoT laboratory is a pioneer in LPWAN industry domestically which has been carrying out research on IoT network technologies, LoRaWAN deployment, LoRaWAN-based applications and so on.

An equipment chain has been formed including independently developed end-nodes modules, base station equipment, and protocol servers. The laboratory is currently capable of deploying LPWAN network and creating related application independently. The link with LoRa-Alliance members will help CNIC enhance its capability in LPWAN area, promote relevant international collaboration, and make more contribution to the endeavor of constructing the Smart CAS.