Introduction
LTE-M (LTE Cat-M or Cat-M1) is a new mobile data standard suitable for the growing low-power wide area (LPWA) market. It is most suitable for transmitting low to medium data over a long-term range. Cat-M1 provides fast enough bandwidth to replace many current 2G and 3G IoT applications. This standard uses a bandwidth of 1.4MHz and has sufficient throughput to transmit firmware, software, and other security updates to IoT devices, including a complete Linux operating system - something NB IoT cannot do. In addition, Cat-M1 supports both full duplex and half duplex, which means that businesses can reduce power consumption and increase battery life by choosing half duplex. It is faster, with upload and download speeds of 1Mbps and lower latency, ranging from 10 to 15 milliseconds.
Main advantages and characteristics
| High speed | LTE-M supports a peak speed of up to 1Mbps for both uplink and downlink, meeting the needs of IoT applications such as voice and low-speed video. |
| Locatable | Low cost positioning technology enables its application in scenarios such as logistics tracking and cargo tracking. |
| mobility | LTE-M supports connectivity mobility. |
| Voice support | LTE-M supports VoLTE voice and can be used in wearable devices. |
Main application scenarios
The most common application cases of Cat-M1 include wearable devices such as fitness bracelets and smartwatches, as well as automatic teller machines (ATMs), as well as asset tracking, health monitors, and alarms. It is also widely used in metrology applications, security monitoring, building monitoring systems, and remote information processing. The application scenarios of the Internet of Things are commonly found in industries such as smart cities, smart homes, and smart healthcare.
