Feature: Communications
To free up spectrum for 4G and 5G, 2G and 3G are being phased out, a
process referred to as “sunsetting”, happening at different times across different mobile network operators and regions
applications and devices. Low-power wide area networks (LPWANs), specifically LTE-M and NB-IoT, are natural choices, but organisations should also consider 4G’s CAT-1 with its medium speed and multi-region availability.
LTE-M and NB-IoT LPWAN technology delivers cost- effective IoT connectivity over wide geographic areas, enabling simplified device design and long battery life. With efficient power consumption and battery lifetime up to ten years, management costs can be very low. Long-Term Evolution Cat-M1 (LTE-M) and NarrowBand IoT
(NB-IoT) have their own specific capabilities: LTE-M provides speed and latency similar to 3G, a consideration for applications with slightly higher data requirements – up to 1GB of data a month. LTE-M works well for mobile applications in which data must be transferred on the move, because connectivity management between cell sites is seamless. NB-IoT, on the other hand, is more
suited to lower data volume (below 5MB a month), in static applications, such as water and gas meters. NB-IoT is also good at reaching places within buildings where coverage can be difficult, such as basements. Batteries
can live up to ten years with NB-IoT, making the technology suitable for devices that must operate for long periods of time in non-powered locations. Of important note in LPWAN
considerations is its limited global availability. If the product ends in a place where LPWAN isn’t available, that’s a problem. Also, LPWAN has many in-country limitations around the world. In the UK for example, LTE-M is available on the east side of the country, whereas NB-IoT on the west.
CAT-1 LTE Category 1 (CAT-1) is an alternative. It is an established 4G service that offers medium-speed connectivity with a maximum speed of 10Mb/s downlink and 5Mb/s uplink, making it suitable for video streaming applications. It also supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE). The single-antenna version of CAT-
1, LTE CAT-1 BIS, provides the same performance, and antenna elimination allows for designing even smaller devices, like wearables.
18 November 2022
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
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