ANT+
Smart Home & Mesh · 6 specs
Direct Answer
ANT+ is an ultra-low power 2.4 GHz wireless sensor networking protocol managed by the ANT Wireless alliance (a subsidiary of Garmin). Designed for deterministic, multi-channel sports and health sensor telemetry, it enables heart rate monitors, power meters, speed/cadence sensors, and smart bike trainers to broadcast metrics simultaneously to multiple head units and watches.
Source: Garmin / Dynastream Innovations / ANT+ Device Profiles · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| Frequency Bands | 2.457 GHz (ANT+ Network default) |
| Physical Layer Modulation | GFSK @ 1 Mbps (1 MHz channel spacing) |
| Network Topologies | Broadcast (1-to-many), Peer-to-Peer, Star, Practical Mesh |
| Message Transmission Model | Deterministic Isochronous Burst Time Slots (8-byte payloads) |
| Standard Device Profiles | HRM (Heart Rate), Bike Power (PWR), Bike Speed & Cadence (BSC), FE-C (Fitness Equipment) |
| Power Consumption | Under 30 µA average (multi-year battery life on CR2032) |
1-to-Many Broadcast Architecture
A key architectural advantage of ANT+ over standard Bluetooth Classic/BLE is its connectionless isochronous broadcast mode. An ANT+ Heart Rate strap (such as a Garmin HRM-Pro) broadcasts fixed 8-byte messages into its allocated micro-timeslot without establishing exclusive two-way handshakes. This allows a single chest strap to be read simultaneously by a cyclist's bike computer, a wristwatch, a gym treadmill, and a coach's tablet.
Standardized Device Profiles and FE-C
The ANT+ Interoperability Specification establishes strict device profiles. The FE-C (Fitness Equipment Controls) profile revolutionized indoor cycling by standardizing bidirectional resistance control between interactive smart bike trainers (Tacx, Wahoo, Saris) and virtual training software (Zwift, TrainerRoad).