AT&T to launch NB-IoT network to complement LTE-M
The NB-IoT technology, says the company, will complement its existing LTE-M network in the U.S. and Mexico. Both NB-IoT and LTE-M are low-power wide-area (LPWA) technologies that support massive IoT deployments, and both are supported in licensed spectrum and with carrier-grade security.
“We’ve seen global momentum for LPWA since launching our North American LTE-M network last year,” says Chris Penrose, President, IoT Solutions, AT&T. “Adding NB-IoT to our portfolio will expand our LPWA capabilities, help drive investment in our evolution to 5G, and support our customers as they deploy IoT solutions across the U.S. and Mexico.”
The company says its investment in NB-IoT and LTE-M will be “future-ready” and that it expects the technologies to become part of the industry’s massive IoT standards. NB-IoT is ideally suited to meet basic data requirements, while LTE-M provides more robust capabilities including bandwidth for firmware and software updates, mobility, and VoLTE (Voice over LTE) services, the company says.
As with LTE-M, the NB-IoT technology will be deployed through software upgrades at cell sites across the U.S. and Mexico. Both will operate alongside the company’s 4G LTE network and within its mobile 5G network.
The company plans to launch NB-IoT in the U.S. early next year, followed by Mexico by the end of 2019.
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