On the Feasibility of Using WiFi White Spaces for Opportunistic M2M Communications

Machine to machine (M2M) communications enable autonomous communication between devices and are an integral part of the Internet of Things (IoT). This paper evaluates the feasibility of opportunistic M2M communication in the unlicensed industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band and its coexistence with existing WiFi networks. Using a BMAP/G/1/K queuing model, we evaluate the duration and frequency of idle periods or “white spaces” in WiFi networks, that may be opportunistically used for M2M communication. Our results show that white spaces occur frequently and are sufficiently long to facilitate opportunistic M2M communications.