LTE-M vs NB-IoT Decision Workbench
Interactive workbench for choosing the right 3GPP cellular IoT radio.
LTE-M vs NB-IoT Decision Workbench
Choose a realistic IoT scenario, then adjust the requirements. The animated path shows why mobility, voice, latency, payload size, coverage depth, battery target, and operator availability usually point toward LTE-M, NB-IoT, or a dual-mode module.
Stage 1: mobility first
Connected handover is the fastest way to separate mobile LTE-M use cases from stationary NB-IoT ones.
NB-IoT fit
Best when the device is stationary, coverage is difficult, payloads are small, and long sleep intervals dominate.
LTE-M fit
Best when connected mobility, voice, lower latency, or larger payloads matter more than maximum coverage depth.
Decision trail
How to read the result
A strong recommendation means one radio has several independent advantages. A close result means a dual-mode module or operator coverage check is usually the professional answer.
Common misconception
NB-IoT is not automatically lower power in every deployment. Power depends on coverage repetitions, attach behavior, payload size, power-saving timers, and the whole board current profile.
Field check
Always confirm the operator's deployed bands, roaming support, PSM/eDRX timer grants, and module firmware. Radio capability on a datasheet is not the same as service availability.
Quick reference and technical notes
| Factor | NB-IoT | LTE-M |
|---|---|---|
| Channel bandwidth | One narrow 180 kHz carrier. | About 1.4 MHz LTE Cat-M1 carrier. |
| Data rate | Low throughput; good for small telemetry. Peak rates are operator and release dependent. | Higher throughput; commonly used for richer telemetry, OTA, and faster exchanges. |
| Mobility | Best for stationary or delay-tolerant devices; connected handover is limited. | Supports connected mobility and handover for trackers, vehicles, and wearables. |
| Coverage | Excellent coverage enhancement; often cited near 164 dB maximum coupling loss. | Strong coverage, but usually less deep than NB-IoT; often cited near 156 dB maximum coupling loss. |
| Voice | No conventional VoLTE service model. | Can support VoLTE when module, network, and service profile allow it. |
The workbench is a teaching selector, not a procurement guarantee. Actual performance depends on carrier deployment, spectrum band, Release feature set, module firmware, SIM profile, antenna, and site radio measurements.