Why Amazon Is Going to Build Its Own Cellular Network

Some folks have asked -- is this really a cellular network?

In the strictest sense, Yes -- it's a coordinated group of basestations which together form a large area network.

The network stacks are not (yet) a part of the 3GPP standard. Handoffs are different. Cells can overlap and don't need to be planned in the same way as traditional cellular networks.

But the reason for these differences is to make the network better for IoT -- battery life, number of devices supported, etc.

Also, if LoRaWAN and others aren't cellular, then neither are the emerging LTE IoT standards. They follow similar strategies.

Or, that's my view anyway. Thoughts?