LTE-M
LPWAN & Long Range · 7 specs
Direct Answer
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.
Source: 3GPP Release 13–15 / GSMA Mobile IoT · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| 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 |
LTE-M vs NB-IoT Differences
While NB-IoT is optimized for stationary meters with tiny data requirements, LTE-M provides 10x higher throughput (1 Mbps vs 100 kbps) and lower latency (~10–15 ms). Most critically, LTE-M supports seamless connected-mode handovers between cell towers, allowing continuous tracking of moving vehicles, maritime containers, and wearable health monitors without dropping active TCP/IP sessions.
VoLTE Voice Capability
Unlike all other LPWAN standards (LoRa, Sigfox, NB-IoT) which are strictly data-only, LTE-M includes full support for Voice over LTE (VoLTE). This capability makes Cat-M1 the universal choice for medical alert pendants, elevator emergency intercoms, and residential security panels replacing legacy 2G/3G alarm systems.