What is Cat M1?

With reliability and cost efficiencies driving industrial IoT development, slower narrowband LTE options like Cat M1 are becoming a more attractive option for those involved in IoT today.

Category M1, or Cat M1 wireless (sometimes also abbreviated LTE-M) is a low-power wide area network (LPWAN) cellular technology. Cat M1 was designed specifically for IoT projects, with an average upload speed between 200 kbps and 400 kbps. You read that correctly, KILOBITS Per Second.

This cellular technology benefits IoT applications for numerous reasons. Cat M1’s low power requirement helps to minimize data cost and improve project efficiency. This is due to the small and infrequent data transfers, as well as Cat M1’s power-saving mode, which is activated when devices are not actively sending or receiving data. (Soracom).

CatM1 Characteristics

CAT-M1 Trades Speed and Low Latency for:

•Extended Battery Life

•Lower Purchasing Cost

•Utilizing Carrier “Guard Bands” for dedicated CAT M1 data connections

•Full or Half Duplex Data Transmission

•CAT-M1 Signal Can Potentially Penetrate Deeper Into Buildings

• As With All Cellular Technologies, Many Variables will affect performance

Possible verticals

•Wearables

-Tank Monitoring

•Personal Trackers

•Fleet Operators

•Heavy Equipment Monitoring (Key Readings and Locations)

•Possible 3G Replacement Technology

Cat M1 is a cellular technology that’s purposefully designed for connected devices, and one of many ways to connect your IoT project. Every connectivity need is unique, and Cat M1 isn’t suitable for every LTE-connected application. The data type, quantity and upload frequency you require will dictate which connection method and technology is best for your project. But for lightweight applications that are processing data packets and transmitting smaller bits of data periodically, Cat M1 could be a game changer. (Onlogic).

To learn more about OptConnect’s Cat M1 devices, please contact us at 877-678-3343.