Localization Systems and Communication Technologies

The selection of communication technologies is fundamental to developing effective localization systems, especially for indoor positioning. This chapter analyzes short-range technologies—Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), ZigBee, RFID, and Ultra-Wide Band (UWB)—and long-range options such as Sigfox, LoRa, and Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT). Each is assessed by accuracy, coverage, scalability, security, cost, complexity, infrastructure, continuity, usability, and privacy. Wi-Fi offers wide coverage but faces interference, BLE balances power efficiency with moderate accuracy, UWB achieves sub-meter precision at a higher cost, and RFID is effective for close-range use. For long-range solutions, LoRa provides strong range and efficiency, while NB-IoT integrates well with cellular networks. The chapter concludes with guidelines to help practitioners select the most suitable technology for specific localization requirements.