Choosing between NB-IoT, LTE-M, and RedCap

The Decision Axes

Choosing between NB-IoT, LTE-M, and RedCap comes down to four primary questions. First, what data rate does the device need? NB-IoT for kilobits, LTE-M for megabits, RedCap for tens of megabits. Second, does the device need mobility? NB-IoT loses connection on cell change; LTE-M and RedCap support full handover. Third, what battery life target? NB-IoT for ten years, LTE-M for years, RedCap for weeks-to-months. Fourth, what is the operator network — LTE present, 5G SA, or hybrid? LTE-M and NB-IoT need LTE; RedCap needs 5G SA. The intersection of these four answers usually points to one…