Mobile Phone Technology

LTE for Machines (LTE-M)



IoT for smart devices can be located anywhere but they need a communication path to the cloud or a server. In an IoT application the data communication is typically small data items which do not need the full 4G / 5G infastructure.

What is needed is a network that :

  • Has a low power requirement; LTE-M states that a 5Wh battery should last 10 years
  • Applications have a low data transmission requirement
  • Transmission is symmetrical, similar data rates required for both upload and download
LTE-M can deliver (O2 figures) 1Mbps using a 1.4MHz channel. So the protocol works over 4G but uses a narrow channel with low data rates. This is often what is required for such devices

Applications that could use LTE-M include:

  • Smart Cities street lighting, parking management although cameras would put too high a demand on the protocol.
  • Agriculture precision farming, soil monitoring, livestock tracking.
  • Environmental management gas monitoring (CO2, CO, NO) smoke detectors
  • Smart meters which currently are moving to a 4G network with LTE-M.These have low data demand.
  • Healthcare and fitness monitoring sensors to heart rate, blood pressure etc.

It is envisaged that LTE-M (or Narrowband IoT) will take over from 2G for many of the critical IoT networks. LTE-M will run on 4G or 5G. The switch away from 2G to LTE-M will be necessary prior to switching off the 2G network.