Long Range Wide Area Network — a low-power wireless protocol designed for IoT sensors, operating in unlicensed spectrum with ranges of 2–15 km depending on terrain.
LoRaWAN is the original wireless protocol for Helium. IoT devices (temperature sensors, asset trackers, smart meters) send small packets to nearby Helium hotspots, which forward them to the internet. The trade-off: very low bandwidth (< 50 kbps) but excellent battery life for sensors that transmit infrequently.