LTE M

 

75B connected devices by 2025

​​​​According to figures published by the STATISTA Research Department in November 2019, over 30 billion 'things' will be connected by the end of 2020.

By 2025, the total should reach a staggering 75 billion devices.

Our planet is getting connected faster than we can imagine! 

 

LTE-M: the Long Term Evolution for Machines

To accommodate our growing need for bandwidth, wireless networks evolve to LTE, which offers higher bandwidth, speed, and reliability. 

However, the vast majority of new IoT connections don’t require 4G's maximum speed and throughput. 

That's where LTE-M comes in.

For typical IoT solutions like alarm systems, asset trackers, smart meters, smart city controllers, wearables, and industrial sensors, an optimized category of Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) LTE is preferred.

The latest generation of IoT-optimized wireless technology, LTE-M, short for LTE Cat. M1, follows Cat. 1 and takes network efficiency and simplicity to a whole new level. 

LTE-M vs LPWAN

 

In other words, LTE-M connects simple devices that transmit low volumes of data over long periods and with the benefits of low power consumption (extended battery life), low latency (more use cases), and better penetration of radio waves (enhanced indoor coverage).

 

Innovative LTE-M modules

Thales and Sequans are the first to innovate Cat. M1 for the IoT market enabling reduced power consumption and cost through optimized wireless speeds at 375kbps while simultaneously boosting reliability and range for indoor installations.

Offering advanced power management capabilities and efficient use of the network, Thales’s Cat. M1 technology enables long standby times and ten years of battery-powered operation, making it ideal for remote solutions without easy access to power. 

Offered in Thales's proprietary industrial footprint, the Cat. M1 module enables smooth migration from 2G and 3G devices without major design overhauls - a mission-critical achievement for many IoT business models.

As a dedicated LPWAN standard, IoT LTE M enables lower costs, small footprints, and innovative low-power optimization.

It fills a growing need for IoT solutions and drives the marketplace forward as billions of new devices get connected.

 

142 Mobile IoT networks in 2020

The LTE for IoT ecosystem on both the network and device side is progressing rapidly in terms of global commercial readiness. Visit the GSMA report for Mobile IoT network commercial launches.

This is also evidenced in a recent demonstration where Ericsson's LTE Cat. M1 eNodeB software and an IoT module based on Sequans' Monarch LTE Cat. M1 chip is successfully communicating, compliant with 3GPP Rel13 specifications for Machine-Type Communications.

 

What's the difference between NB IoT and LTE M?

In a nutshell, LTE-M has a better (faster) latency, higher bandwidth, and throughput and includes voice for simple use cases.

See below this comparison table. 

LTE Cat M vs. LTE CAT NB

Let's be clear, CAT M and NB-IoT are not competing with each other. They are two different wireless technologies.

 

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