LTE vs NB-LTE: Understanding the Key Differences

lte
nb-iot
mobile communication
technology
wireless

This page compares LTE vs NB-LTE and describes the difference between LTE and NB-LTE (i.e. NB-IoT) technologies.

SpecificationsLTENB-LTE or LTE-NB or NB-IoT
Specification3GPP Release 8/9 (Basic LTE), 3GPP Release 10 (Advanced LTE)3GPP Release 13 .. (Cat-NB1) 3GPP Release 14 .. (Cat-NB2)
AbbreviationLong Term Evolution, General term for all 4G LTENarrow Band LTE
Device costCostlierCheaper, 5 to 10 $ per module, 10% less compared to LTE-M
BandwidthSupports various ranges of BW ( i.e. 1.4MHz, 3.0MHz, 5MHz, 10MHz, 15MHz, 20MHz)Narrower BW (180 KHz)
LatencyHigher than LTE-M , about 1.5 to 10 secLower, about 50 to 100ms
Battery LifeShortLong, +10 Years, depends on use case
Maximum Data rate300 Mbps Downlink(DL) with 4x4 MIMO and 20 MHz configurations , 75 Mbps Uplink (UL)< 100 Kbps (i.e. 30Kbps or 60Kbps)
Service costs or deployment costsHigherLower
CoverageAbout 2 to 10 miles7 times of LTE
Voice supportYesNo (only data is supported)
Mobility supportYesLimited
Frequency BandsBands include 1 to 12, 13 to 25, 33 to 43.LTE in-band, LTE guard band and GSM repurposing
Module sizeNot suitable as wearablesSuitable as wearables
Duplex supportBoth half duplex and full duplexHalf duplex

LTE Advantages and Disadvantages

Explore the benefits and drawbacks of LTE technology, including data speeds, coverage, cost, and infrastructure requirements.

lte
4g
mobile communication