NB-IoT

What is NB-IoT?

NB-IoT is a cellular technology designed for very small, very cheap devices that send a message and go back to sleep. 3GPP introduced it in Release 13. It is a new radio design that coexists with LTE and GSM networks rather than a version of LTE.

The narrow channel is the point. A signal packed into 180 kHz carries only a little data, but it can reach basements and meter closets where a normal phone signal would not, and the radio uses very little power.

What are NB-IoT's limits?

• Low speed. It is meant for readings and status messages, not for photos or live video.
• Mobility. It was designed for devices that stay put, and early releases had limited support for moving between cells.
• Positioning. Release 13 offered limited positioning support, so devices that need to know where they are usually add a satellite receiver. See GNSS.
• Coverage. It works only where the carrier has turned it on.

Those limits are why it is common in fixed meters and sensors, and why wearables more often use LTE-M.

Where would NB-IoT fit on a construction site?

NB-IoT fits equipment that does not move, such as a tank-level sensor on a diesel tank or a water meter on a temporary service. It fits a moving crew less well, because each worker is walking, driving and changing cells during the day.

Which standard a given badge or sensor uses is a hardware detail to confirm with the maker. Whichever standard it uses, the device reports over a carrier network, without a worker's phone.