LoRa & LoRaWAN vs. LTE-M
Comparing 2 standards across 15 specifications. 15 key differences identified.
LoRa (Long Range) is a proprietary Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) physical radio modulation developed by Semtech, paired with the open LoRaWAN MAC protocol governed by the LoRa Alliance. Operating in unlicensed sub-GHz bands (868 MHz EU, 915 MHz US), it delivers transmission ranges from 5 to 15+ kilometers with 10+ year battery life.
LTE-M (enhanced Machine-Type Communication / eMTC, 3GPP Cat-M1 and Cat-M2) is a licensed cellular IoT standard operating within 1.4 MHz to 5 MHz channel bandwidths. Delivering data rates up to 1 to 4 Mbps, it supports full cell tower handover mobility and Voice over LTE (VoLTE), making it ideal for vehicle asset tracking and emergency panic systems.
Specification Comparison Table
15 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Physical Modulation
|
LoRa (Chirp Spread Spectrum / CSS) | — |
|
MAC Layer Protocol
|
LoRaWAN (Class A, Class B, Class C) | — |
|
Operating Frequency Bands
|
EU868 (863–870 MHz), US915 (902–928 MHz), AS923, AU915 | — |
|
Spreading Factors
|
SF7 (fastest / shortest) to SF12 (slowest / maximum link budget) | — |
|
Bandwidths Available
|
125 kHz, 250 kHz, 500 kHz | — |
|
Max Link Budget
|
Up to 157 dB (receives signals below thermal noise floor) | — |
|
Typical Range
|
2–5 km (urban) / 15–20 km (rural line-of-sight) | — |
|
Device Classes
|
Class A (All battery nodes / bi-directional), Class B (Beacon slots), Class C (Continuous listen) | — |
|
3GPP Specification
|
— | Release 13 (Cat-M1) / Release 14 (Cat-M2) |
|
Channel Bandwidth
|
— | 1.4 MHz (Cat-M1: 6 LTE PRBs) / 5 MHz (Cat-M2) |
|
Peak Data Rates (Cat-M1)
|
— | 1 Mbps Downlink / 1 Mbps Uplink |
|
Peak Data Rates (Cat-M2)
|
— | Up to 4 Mbps Downlink / 7 Mbps Uplink |
|
Voice Support
|
— | Native VoLTE (Voice over LTE) supported |
|
Mobility Support
|
— | Seamless Connected-Mode Cell Handover |
|
Power Saving Features
|
— | PSM (Power Saving Mode) and eDRX |