NB-IoT technology
Narrowband Internet of things (NB-IoT)
NB IoT, or NarrowBand IoT, is a radio communication standard based on today's 5G mobile network. It uses the existing infrastructure and therefore provides a large coverage.
NB IoT is especially developed for IoT applications: By using only a narrow bandwidth in the lowest frequencies band it achieves a higher penetration through buildings and allows to produce end-devices with a low power consumption compared to smart phones.
Benefits of NB-IoT
NB IoT, or NarrowBand IoT, is one of the first LPWA networks for IoT applications and has the following benefits:
NB IoT Range
NB IoT is built on the technology of the mobile network and therefore the range is comparable to a smart phone. NB IoT uses the lowest frequency bands which have a higher penetration through building walls.
The range also depends on the output power and the antenna design of the device. The coverage of the mobile network is usually good in cities and urban regions. It's important to check the coverage of the available providers and compare to the requirements of own IoT application.
NB IoT Applications
NB IoT solutions are often used for IoT applications because of the coverage and energy efficient implementation. Here some examples of NB IoT applications:
FAQ
NarrowBand IoT (NB IoT) is a radio communication standard based on today's mobile network. It uses the existing infrastructure and usually has a good coverage in cities and urban areas.
NB IoT uses a subset of LTE (Long-Term Evolution) which is also known as the 4th Generation (4G) mobile network. NB IoT uses a lower bandwidth and low frequencies of the LTE standard. Therefore NB IoT has a higher penetration through building walls.
NB-IoT (Narrow Band IoT) and LTE M (Long-Term Evolution - Machine Type Communication) are both developed for the internet of things based on the 4G mobile network. LTE M has a higher performance and is therefore more power hungry and expensive.
Table: NB-IOT vs LTE M
- Data Rate: 26-159kbps , 1Mbps
- Latency: 1.5-10s, 10-15ms
- Duplex: half, full
Yes. NB-IoT works in the licensed frequency bands and is operated by the national mobile network providers. A SIM card is needed to register in the mobile network. More and more eSIMs are coming up and would make a physical SIM card not necessary anymore.
Recurrent costs from a mobile network provider apply for NB-IoT devices. It's usually lower than a classic mobile plan for a smart phone, because the data rate is much lower. But the network infrastructure is already existant compared to other LPWANs.
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