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Interactive guide to LTE-M vs NB-IoT

Our recommendation based on your answers

Based on your replies to the questions, LTE-M is the recommended choice. For most international IoT solutions we recommend LTE-M as the preferred connectivity standard as it is expected to become globally available faster and is more straightforward when developing and maintaining applications. LTE-M is built for roaming and has the best support for international deployments using a single point of contact and subscription for enterprises. It is also a better alternative for moving devices as it will not lose ongoing data transfers.

LTE-M operates on dedicated radio frequencies in telecom networks with a proven capability to scale, with committed support through the whole life cycle from the operator. It also supports improved battery life and substantial coverage enhancements, when compared to older mobile technologies.

Differences-between-LTE-M-and-NB-IoT

Our recommendation based on your answers

Based on your replies to the questions, either LTE-M or NB-IoT are suitable connectivity technologies. They are both future proof, globally available, vendor independent technologies and based on open standards.

They operate on dedicated radio frequencies in telecom networks with a proven capability to scale, and with committed support through the whole life cycle from the operator. Both technologies also support improved battery life and substantial coverage enhancements, when compared to older mobile technologies.

NB-IoT may be the better choice in, for example, very large scale sensor networks where the requirements are known at deployment and the best possible indoor coverage is absolutely essential.

However, for most international IoT solutions we recommend LTE-M as the preferred connectivity standard as it is expected to become globally available faster and is more straightforward when developing and maintaining applications. LTE-M is built for roaming and has the best support for international deployments using a single point of contact and subscription for enterprises. It is also a better alternative for moving devices as it will not lose ongoing data transfers.

Differences-between-LTE-M-and-NB-IoT

Below every question you can read how your answers influence the choice of connectivity technology for your requirements and wishes.

1. When you manufacture your product, do you know in which countries it will end up being used?

Your reply: Yes

Your reply: No

2. Will your product need to be connected in more than one country?

Your reply: Yes

Your reply: No

3. Are your products or devices static or moving?

Your reply: Devices are static.

Your reply: Devices move more than 1 km.

4. Is the expected lifespan of your devices more than five years?

Your reply: Less than five years.

Your reply: Five years or more.

5. Will your devices need to be updated frequently during the lifespan?

Your reply: More than twice during the lifespan.

Your reply: Less than twice during the lifespan.

6. Do you want to have the possibility of changing connectivity providers during the life span of the device?

Your reply: Yes

Your reply: No

7. How important is it that the response time of the device is not too slow?

Your reply: It is important. We will have human interaction and the response cannot be too slow.

Your reply: It is not important. We will not have any human interaction with the device.

8. Do your devices always have access to power?

Your reply: Yes

Your reply: No

9. Do your devices use streaming audio?

Your reply: Yes

Your reply: No

10. How likely is it that you would like to expand or enhance your IoT solution during the lifespan?

Your reply: It is likely.

Your reply: It is not likely.

11. Is extreme indoor coverage important?

Your reply: Very to extremely important.

Your reply: Moderately or not important.

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Webinar LTE-M vs NB-IoT: questions & answers

Recently we held a webinar on LTE-M vs NB-IoT. This was followed by a number of questions which we share here.

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1. When you manufacture your product, do you know in which countries it will end up being used?

Yes No

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2. Will your product need to be connected in more than one country?

Yes No

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3. Are your products or devices static or moving? Static means that they are staying in one geographical place and moving means they will move more than 1 km.

Devices are static.

Both LTE-M and NB-IoT can be used for static devices that stay within a 1 km distance, which can be compared to WIFI that often has a limited range of just one building. LTE-M and NB-IoT are both mobile technologies based on cells. The size of a cell can be a few hundred meters up to several kilometers, depending on geographical conditions and population density. LTE-M and NB-IoT will automatically connect to the best cell available.
NB-IoT will keep its connection when it is moved within the cell. If a device is moved to locations outside its cell, it will not be reachable but eventually reconnect to the network. It may take a while before the device notices that it is not connected and when the device reconnects data transfers may be lost. Reconnecting to the network will reduce battery life.
LTE-M devices will constantly measure the signal quality to several cells and automatically select a new, better cell when they are moved. Data transfers will be unbroken while the devices move to another cell, supporting a seamless user experience that we know from mobile networks.

Devices move more than 1 km.

LTE-M is designed to support connectivity for moving devices up to around 200 km/hour, just like 4G. NB-IoT supports limited movement of devices, typically less than 1 kilometer, compared to WIFI which often has a limited range of just one building.
LTE-M and NB-IoT are both mobile technologies based on cells. The size of a cell can be a few hundred meters up to several kilometers, depending on geographical conditions and population density. LTE-M and NB-IoT will automatically connect to the best cell available.
NB-IoT will keep its connection when it is moved within the cell. If a device is moved to locations outside its cell, it will not be reachable but eventually reconnect to the network. It may take a while before the device notices that it is not connected and when the device reconnects data transfers may be lost. Reconnecting to the network will reduce battery life.
As NB-IoT is designed for static devices it can lead to interruptions if devices are moved.
LTE-M devices will constantly measure the signal quality of several cells and automatically select a new, better cell when they are moved. Under normal conditions data transfers will continue automatically even while the devices move to another cell, supporting the seamless user experience that we know from mobile networks.
LTE-M is the better choice for moving devices as it has been designed for this from the start.
Therefore, we strongly recommend LTE-M as technology when you want to keep flexibility for which country the end product will be used during its manufacturing.

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4. Is the expected lifespan of your devices more than five years?

Less than five years. Five years or more.

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5. Will your devices need to be updated frequently during the lifespan? Reasons for updating might be updated security or adapting to an extended solution.

More than twice during the lifespan. Less than twice during the lifespan.

Software updates are needed to keep devices secure and to constantly improve the user experience of your connected products. Enterprises typically use agile software development (small and frequent increments) to decrease time to market, so the need for software updates increases.
NB-IoT can be used when there will be few firmware updates, but experience tells us that the number of necessary updates are often underestimated.
NB-IoT can technically be used to update software, but its narrowband sets practical limits for regular software updates, especially for a fleet of devices.
The limitations can potentially lead to unpleasant surprises if more frequent software updates are needed than initially planned for.
Imagine a company that would like to produce a connected door. Every night this connected door will send data about the door usage to a central cloud. The use case is straightforward and since a small amount of data is sent NB-IoT is chosen for connectivity. After the product has been launched the company discovers that there is very little value in sending usage data. The company can instead monetize on the door when adding more customer value, for example making a remotely controlled door. With LTE-M it would be easier to grow into this value adding use case, compared to NB-IoT. With NB-IoT software updates are more difficult and remote controlling is slower, which limits the company to evolve from a connected door into an intelligent door.
Only LTE-M has enough bandwidth to support regular software updates and is much more suitable for devices that need frequent updates.
LTE-M is designed to be 38 times faster in software updates compared to NB-IoT.
Under the most favorable radio conditions, a software update of 1 megabyte takes at least 5 minutes with NB-IoT, compared to 8 seconds with LTE-M.

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6. Do you want to have the possibility of changing connectivity providers during the life span of the device? This might be relevant at the end of a commercial agreement with an operator.

Yes No

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7. How important is it that the response time of the device is not too slow? Will your connected devices be controlled by people needing a fast and consistent response?

It is important. We will have human interaction and the response cannot be too slow. It is not important. We will not have any human interaction with the device.

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8. Do your devices always have access to power?

Yes No

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9. Do your devices use streaming audio?

Yes No

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10. How likely is it that you would like to expand or enhance your IoT solution during the lifespan?

It is likely. It is not likely.

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11. Is extreme indoor coverage important? Examples are deep underground coverage for mining or underwater applications.

Very to extremely important. Moderately or not important.

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Interactive guide to LTE-M vs NB-IoT

Our recommendation based on your answers

Our recommendation based on your answers

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