These Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) allow a greater volume of devices to share bandwidth than traditional cellular networks like 2G, 3G, and 4G. They enable devices to utilize unused frequencies within a carrier’s licensed bands, and use less power than many other types of network.
As the name implies, NB-IoT networks use narrower frequency band compared to 3G and 4G, while still being a “wide area” network technology. This allows a larger volume of devices to occupy one of the network’s “cells.” Narrowband-IoT networks also enhance coverage by repeating transmissions, improving the receiver’s ability to resolve messages. In theory, this means that they offer greater coverage with less infrastructure than other network types.
In cellular IoT, manufacturers turn to NB-IoT networks because they consume very little power when a device isn’t transmitting. Thanks to power-saving features like Power Saving Mode and Discontinuous Reception (DRX), cellular devices using NB-IoT can have years of battery life.
Here’s what makes NB-IoT useful for IoT applications, as well as some of this technology’s inherent weaknesses.
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