RFLTE vs LTE-M: Key Differences Explained
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lte-m
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This article breaks down the differences between LTE (Long Term Evolution) and LTE-M, two important cellular technologies. LTE is the general term for 4G LTE, while LTE-M is a specific type of LTE designed for Machine Communication, primarily targeting IoT (Internet of Things) devices. Let’s dive into the specifics.
Key Differences: LTE vs. LTE-M
The table below summarizes the key distinctions between these two technologies:
| Specifications | LTE | LTE-M |
|---|---|---|
| Specification | 3GPP Release 8/9 (Basic LTE), 3GPP Release 10 (Advanced LTE) | 3GPP Release 13 (Cat-M1), 3GPP Release 14 (Cat-M2) |
| Abbreviation | Long Term Evolution, General term for all 4G LTE | LTE for Machine Communication (LTE with category M1), Such IoT devices connect directly with 4G LTE network without gateway |
| Device Cost | Costlier | Cheaper |
| Bandwidth | Supports various ranges of BW (i.e. 1.4MHz, 3.0MHz, 5MHz, 10MHz, 15MHz, 20MHz) | Narrower BW (about 1.4 MHz) |
| Battery Life | Short | Long, due to use of PSM (Power Saving Mode) and eDRX (extended Discontinuous Reception) modes; battery life up to 10 years can be achieved. |
| Maximum Data Rate | 300 Mbps Downlink (DL) with 4x4 MIMO and 20 MHz configurations, 75 Mbps Uplink (UL) | About 100 Kbps to 360 Kbps |
| Service/Deployment Costs | Higher | Lower |
| Coverage | About 2 to 10 miles | 4 times of LTE |
| Number of Devices | Less than LTE-M | Supports massive number of devices |
| Frequency Bands | Bands include 1 to 12, 13 to 25, 33 to 43. | Release 13 provides the list of the supported bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, 31, 39, 41 and Release 14 added the bands viz. 25 and 40. |
| Module Size | Not suitable as wearables | Suitable as wearables |
| Duplexing Support | Support TDD and FDD (both full duplex or half duplex) | Half duplex and full duplex for FDD and TDD, however currently supported frequency bands are only operating in FDD. Full duplex operation, which means that the device supports simultaneous transmission and reception, or half-duplex operation, which means that the device alternates between transmission and reception. |
Explanation of key differences:
- Use Case: LTE is designed for high-bandwidth applications like streaming video and browsing the internet, while LTE-M is geared towards low-power, low-bandwidth IoT devices like sensors and trackers.
- Power Consumption: LTE-M is optimized for extremely low power consumption, allowing devices to run for years on a single battery. LTE’s power consumption is considerably higher.
- Cost: LTE-M modules are generally cheaper than LTE modules, making them more suitable for mass deployment in IoT applications.
- Coverage: LTE-M offers significantly improved coverage compared to standard LTE, enabling devices to connect in challenging environments.
- Data Rate: LTE offers much higher data rates than LTE-M. This is a trade-off to achieve lower power consumption and wider coverage in LTE-M.
- Number of devices: LTE-M can support a massive number of devices connected to a single cell, making it ideal for dense IoT deployments.
LTE and NB-IoT
It’s worth noting that NB-IoT (Narrowband IoT) is another technology similar to LTE-M, also designed for low-power wide-area (LPWA) applications.
