Digital & Communication Technology
technologies are poised to remain on 4G RAN and 4G EPC networks, for as long as MNOs choose to retain those network assets. Many midrange IoT applications in areas such as industrial monitoring and control, sensor networks, telematics, video surveillance, and wearables do not require the speed and latencies of the initial 5G specifications. Until 3GPP Release 17, which put forth the RedCap specification in June 2022, medium data rate IoT applications never had a clear migration path to 5G networks. Even though the cost of 5G modems is expected to decrease significantly over the next few years, the low cost of LTE solutions (especially LTE Cat 1bis, LTE-M and NB-IoT) and the expected longevity of LTE networks, is predicted to delay the conversion of many IoT products to 5G for another three to five years. Let’s take a closer look at RedCap, the specification meant to close the gap to 5G
network connectivity for IoT applications in 3GPP Release 17 and, even further, in Release 18.
5G RedCap
5G RedCap extends the 3GPP Release 15 specifications (figure 2), addressing the many IoT devices which do not require all of 5G’s advanced technologies, avoiding unnecessary complexity, and reducing cost. RedCap aims to increase the addressable market for 5G by enabling the design of cost-effective devices which provide capabilities important for IoT applications, including lower throughput, longer battery life, less complexity, and higher device density, over existing high-end 5G solutions. 5G RedCap supports solution
requirements falling between the capabilities of 5G eMBB and LTE-M (figure 3), providing a middle ground of connectivity.
Figure 2: RedCap addresses a gap in 3GPP Release 15 specifications
While enabling LTE Cat 1 and LTE Cat 4 applications to migrate to 5G, Release 17 RedCap is only a first step in reducing the cost and complexity of 5G IoT connections.
Figure 3: 5G RedCap enables LTE Cat 1 and LTE Cat 4 applications to migrate to 5G
Further evolutions of the RedCap standard – eRedCap – have recently been completed under 3GPP Release 18 which will address the requirements of the significant market for low-cost, battery-powered, LPWAN solutions supported by LTE-M and NB-IoT technologies (figure 4).
5G and the IoT: a future perspective The first RedCap devices are expected to become commercially available in 2024, with eRedCap technology appearing on the market two years later. According to ReTHINK Research1
, RedCap and eRedCap
will account for 30.17 per cent of all cellular IoT connections and RedCap technology will overtake 4G LTE as the leading cellular IoT platform by 2032-2033.
Figure 4: eRedCap should address the requirements of some low-cost, battery powered applications currently served by LPWAN solutions
Although 5G at the massive IoT device level may still be a few years off, early 5G RedCap use cases are expected to emerge as soon as 2024, including consumer wearables and some industrial applications. Adoption in some sectors will be driven by the need to design future proof solutions, which must ensure that capital equipment with extended lifecycles will have continuity of connectivity. Other drivers for RedCap adoption include the attraction of having all services on the same 5G core and simplifying service orchestration and control.
From an operator perspective, RedCap represents an opportunity to monetize previous and future investments in 5G infrastructure, specifically the transition to 5G stand-alone networks.
By encouraging the migration of IoT connections and traffic over to 5G, RedCap is one of the key technologies which are set to accelerate the 5G roll-out.
https://www.u-blox.com/en 1
https://rethinkresearch.biz/articles/5g-RedCap-on-course-to-take-60-of-cellular-iot-revenues-by-2030/ References
www.cieonline.co.uk Components in Electronics December/January 2025 51
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