LTE-M
A 3GPP cellular standard, also called Cat-M1, that gives IoT devices moderate bandwidth, mobility and voice support at lower power than regular LTE.
LTE-M, formally LTE Cat-M1, is the 3GPP option for devices that need more than NB-IoT can offer but less than a smartphone modem. It uses a reduced bandwidth channel within an LTE network, supports full mobility with cell handover, and can carry voice, which makes it a fit for asset trackers, wearables, alarm panels and vehicle telematics.
The same power saving features as NB-IoT apply, so a tracker can sleep between reports and still run on a battery for a long time. Module cost sits between NB-IoT and full LTE. Because it is part of the LTE family, LTE-M is carried forward into 5G networks, which gives buyers some confidence about longevity. The guide NB-IoT and LTE-M explained walks through when to choose each.
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