LTE-M vs. NB-IoT: Cellular IoT for a 5G World

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Like previous cellular generations, 5G is changing how we send and receive information. Worldwide 5G coverage enables countless automated wireless applications for the growing Internet of Things (IoT) market.

By 2030, more than 40 billion devices will connect to the IoT, including:  

• Disposable tracking devices  
• Computer vision cameras  
• Smart city lighting 
• Smart utilities  
• Precision farming and smart agriculture devices 

Large-scale, high-speed connection deployments require significant bandwidth. Cellular low-power wide area (LPWA) standards allow sensors and short-data-burst transactional devices to operate uninterrupted in the realm of 5G.   

Mobile IoT technologies, such as LTE-M and narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), provide secure and cost-effective cellular LPWA capabilities. They are catalysts for future global 5G integration and growth.  

LTE-M and NB-IoT coexist with the 5G network. They are the only cellular technologies to support massive IoT deployments and cellular LPWA use cases for the coming decades.  

The Power of 5G 

5G simplifies daily life and connects numerous industries to more efficient signal paths. 5G’s evolutionary cycle will end around 2030. By then, it will be dozens of times faster than 4G while supporting up to 1 million connections per square kilometer.  

IoT industries that benefit from high-bandwidth, high-speed applications use 5G’s swift speeds for:  

• Fixed wireless access (FWA) 
• Ultra-HD (4K) streaming  
• Virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) cameras and devices  

5G operators improve networks beyond the business world, enabling videos and file sharing on the go. They will transition into applications like:  

• Video telematics operations  
• Wireless Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera-powered solutions  

5G acts as a springboard for IoT innovations like:  

• Automated life cycle management 
• Network slicing 
• Remote monitoring in real time
• Secure, cloud-optimized distributed network applications   

To gain these advantages, existing enterprise networks must be outfitted with the right mix of devices across all standards (e.g., fast and low power) within 5G. 5G and cellular LPWA technologies accelerate these improvements.  

LTE-M and NB-IoT: Cellular LPWA Technologies  

LTE-M and NB-IoT improve communication options. These technologies can also create opportunities for applications in industries that value small, intermittent data blocks, including:   

• Smart utilities   
• Health care   
• Fleet management 
• Agriculture  

Properties of Cellular LPWA Technologies 

• Minimal power consumption and device operation for years after the initial charge  
• Improved coverage indoors and outdoors compared to existing WAN connections  
• Low cost per unit 
• Security measures, including strong authentication and enhanced connectivity  
• Simplified deployment 
• Simplified network topology 
• Easy to upgrade through network scalability 

A Comparison of Technologies: LTE-M vs. NB-IoT

LTE-M 

LTE-M was introduced in Release 13 (Rel 13) of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The same organization brought 3G and defines the standards for cellular communication.

LTE-M has rolled out extensively across existing LTE networks. According to GSMA, 115 LTE-M networks were operating worldwide as of May 2025.   

This technology is designed with an extended coverage range to support:   

• Lower device complexity  
• Massive connection density  
• Low power consumption 

LTE-M is most useful for mobile coverage in industries that must:  

• Track shipping 
• Monitor assets and goods  
• Obtain diagnostics and reports on moving operations  

LTE-M runs on 1.4 MHz spectrum bandwidth. This bandwidth is preferable for use cases that require small amounts of data transmission under full mobility and low power consumption, such as:   

• Telematics trackers  
• Personal and pet trackers   
• Cold-chain cargo monitors  
• Portable point-of-sale devices  

NB-IoT 

NB-IoT, like LTE-M, was introduced by 3GPP as part of Rel 13, which focused on IoT’s cellular LPWA requirements. LTE-M targets both mobile and fixed applications.

NB-IoT is ideal for battery-powered devices and fixed indoor coverage in areas with problematic signal loss and multitiered layers.  

With 3GPP Release 17 (Rel 17), NB-IoT integrates satellite, non-terrestrial and terrestrial networks. A single device communicates with cellular and satellite networks. This added flexibility makes NB-IoT ideal for use cases such as:  

• Smart gas and water meters  
• Parking garages  
• Warehouses  
• Underground facilities 
• Remote agriculture deployments 
• Maritime shipping asset trackers 

NB-IoT supports dense clusters of low-throughput devices with high latency tolerance. It optimizes network resource use — particularly spectrum — while providing a low-cost option and low-power consumption. NB-IoT also integrates with existing LTE deployments. According to GSMA, 137 NB-IoT networks were operating worldwide as of May 2025. 

Some IoT designs incorporate both LTE-M and NB-IoT into a single device for maximum flexibility.  

Anticipating the 5G Revolution with Cellular LPWA Solutions 

As a worldwide IoT pioneer, Telit Cinterion offers a broad portfolio of cellular LPWA modules. Our LTE-M and NB-IoT modules provide exceptional deployment results. They deliver industry-leading radio frequency performance and fully incorporate the technologies’ features, including:  

• Extended Discontinuous Reception (eDRX)  
• Power Saving Mode (PSM)  

These capabilities enable the module to wake up periodically, exchange data with the network, and sleep to conserve battery life through efficiency.  

Our ME310M1 series supports NB-IoT and LTE-M connectivity. You can enable massive, power-efficient IoT device deployments with ultralow power consumption and optional integrated eSIM.

The modules incorporate short-range radio capabilities (e.g., Wi-Fi scanning) for mesh network integration. They also provide location functionalities with GNSS.

Speak with our IoT experts to learn more about LTE-M vs. NB-IoT and which of these cellular LPWA technologies is best for your deployment.

Editor’s note: This blog was originally published on 15 June 2022 and has since been updated.