In the Internet of Things (IoT) application, IoT Modem plays a crucial role as a bridge between devices and networks. Different IoT modems differ in performance, application scenarios, and cost, so choosing the right IoT modem is crucial to ensuring the success of IoT applications. The following is a performance comparison and selection guide for several mainstream IoT modems.

I. NB-IoT
NB-IoT Narrow Band Internet of Things is a narrow band wireless communication technology designed specifically for the Internet of Things, featuring low power consumption, wide coverage, large connectivity, and low cost.

Low power consumption: NB-IoT devices can operate in low power consumption mode for years, making them suitable for IoT devices that cannot be frequently replaced with batteries.
Wide coverage: NB-IoT has strong indoor coverage capability, with a 20dB gain compared to LTE, making it suitable for applications with deep coverage requirements such as rural areas and underground parking garages.
Large connectivity: Under the same base station, NB-IoT can support more device access than existing wireless technologies, meeting the needs of large-scale device networking in scenarios such as smart homes.
Low cost: NB-IoT does not require re-establishing the network, and the radio frequency and antenna can be reused, reducing equipment costs.
Application Scenarios: NB-IoT is suitable for IoT applications such as sensors, smart water meters, and smart electricity meters, which require low power consumption, wide coverage, and large connectivity.

II. LTE-Cat.1
LTE-Cat.1 is a standard for user terminal categories in the 4G communication LTE network, with moderate speed, power consumption, and cost.

Speed: peak uplink rate of 5Mbps, peak downlink rate of 10Mbps, suitable for medium and low-speed IoT applications.
Power consumption: LTE-Cat.1 has been optimized for power consumption, making it suitable for long-running IoT devices.
Cost: Compared to other 4G technologies, LTE-Cat.1 modules and chips have lower costs, which helps reduce equipment costs.
Wide coverage: With the wide coverage of LTE network, LTE-Cat.1 can quickly form scale effect.
Application Scenarios: LTE-Cat.1 is widely used in industrial gateways, retail counters, financial payments, connected cars, shared power banks, charging piles, and other IoT scenarios.

III. LTE-M LTE-Machine-to-Machine
LTE-M is an IoT technology based on LTE evolution, supporting mobility and positioning functions.

Speed: Supporting peak speeds of up to 1Mbps for both uplink and downlink, higher than technologies such as GPRS, suitable for low-speed video, voice, and other applications.
Mobility: Supporting connectivity-based mobility, IoT users can seamlessly switch, ensuring user experience.
Positioning: LTE-M based on TDD can use PRS measurements on the base station side for location positioning, without the need for adding a GPS chip.
Voice: Supporting VOLTE voice, suitable for IoT applications such as wearable devices that require voice functionality.
Application Scenarios: LTE-M is suitable for IoT applications that require mobility, positioning, and voice capabilities, such as wearable devices like smart bracelets and watches, asset tracking, health monitors, and alarms.

IV. Selection Guide
When selecting an IoT modem, the following factors should be considered:

Application scenario: Select the appropriate IoT Modem based on the specific needs of the IoT application. For example, for low-power, wide-coverage, and large-connection IoT applications, NB-IoT is an ideal choice; For applications requiring medium speed, low power consumption and low cost, LTE-Cat.1 is more suitable; For applications that require mobility, positioning and voice capabilities, LTE-M has more advantages.
Network coverage: understand the network coverage in your area and choose an IoT Modem that provides good network coverage.
Cost: Considering the module, chip and deployment costs of IoT Modem, choose a cost-effective product.
Scalability: Considering the future expansion needs of IoT applications, choose an IoT Modem with scalability.
NB-IoT, LTE-Cat.1, and LTE-M each have their own advantages and are suitable for different IoT application scenarios. When selecting an IoT modem, it is necessary to make trade-offs and choices based on specific requirements to ensure the successful implementation of IoT applications.