NB-IoT Tutorial: Features, Spectrum, and Applications

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This tutorial covers the basics of NB-IoT (NarrowBand Internet of Things), including its key features, frequency spectrum options, and various applications. We will also compare NB-IoT with earlier LTE versions like Cat-1, Cat-0, and Cat-M.

What is NB-IoT?

  • NB-IoT stands for Narrowband-IoT.
  • It is specified in LTE Release 13, succeeding LTE Cat-M (Release 12).
  • NB-IoT is designed to meet the demands of LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) networks.
  • It offers better geographical coverage than LTE-M while using lower data rates.
  • This allows for extended battery life, potentially up to 10 years.
  • NB-IoT devices use a narrow frequency spectrum with a bandwidth of 180 KHz to 200 KHz.

Features of NB-IoT

The following table summarizes the key features of NB-IoT (LTE Cat-NB):

SpecificationsNB-IoT
Extended Coverage and distance20dB better than GSM/GPRS, covers about less than 22 Km from the cell
Frequency Spectrum700MHz, 800MHz, 900MHz
Bandwidth180 KHz to 200 KHz
Capacity-Number of Connections50K connections per cell, supports about 40 devices per household
Power ConsumptionVery low power consumption, extending battery life to 10 years
LatencyLess than 10 seconds (uplink)
Data rate200 Kbps
Transmit Power+20 dBm or +23 dBm
Device CostLow, under $5 per module

NB-IoT Frequency Spectrum

NB IoT Frequency Spectrum

Figure 1: NB-IoT Frequency Spectrum

Figure 1 illustrates the different frequency spectrum options supported by NB-IoT: Standalone, In-Band, and Guard Band.

  • Standalone: This deployment type utilizes new, dedicated bandwidth.
  • Guard Band: This uses bandwidth reserved in the guard band of an existing LTE network.
  • In-Band: This uses the same RBs (resource blocks) within an existing LTE carrier.

NB-IoT Applications | NB-IoT Use Cases

Here are some typical use cases and applications for NB-IoT:

  • Personal Use: Wearables, smart bicycles, tracking of children and the elderly.
  • Public Use: Smart metering, alarms and event detectors, smart garbage bins.
  • IoT Appliances: Refrigerators, temperature sensing smart devices.
  • Industrial Use: Logistics tracking, asset tracking, smart agriculture.

Difference between NB-IoT (LTE Cat-NB), LTE Cat-1, LTE Cat-0, LTE Cat-M

The following table highlights the differences between NB-IoT and earlier LTE versions:

SpecificationsLTE Cat-1LTE Cat-0LTE Cat-MLTE Cat-NB
3GPP ReleaseRel.8Rel.12Rel.12Rel.13
Bandwidth20 MHz1.4 MHz1.08 MHz180 KHz
Data rate10 Mbps1 Mbps1 Mbps200 Kbps
Frequency SpectrumLTE In Band OnlyLTE In-Band, Guard Band, StandaloneLTE In-Band, Guard Band, StandaloneLTE In-Band, Guard Band, Standalone
CoverageSame as LTE coverage, LTE Cat-M has deeper penetration +20dB than LTE, <22 Km
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