LTE Cat-1
3GPP Release 8
- Peak uplink
- 5.2 Mbit/speak
- Peak downlink
- 10.3 Mbit/s
- Moving between cells
- Full handover
- Voice
- VoLTE
- Power saving
- Limited
Networks · Free selector
Cellular category selector: Cat-1, Cat-M1 or NB-IoT
Before you choose a tracker or recorder for the networks after 2G and 3G, match the category to the job: video or not, how much data, moving or fixed, and what each country's operators run.
Moving vehicles need handover between cells. Fixed assets do not.
Battery-only devices need the power-saving modes of Cat-M1 and NB-IoT.
Video over the cellular link
What the device sends besides positions.
clips
Clips uploaded per vehicle per day.
MB
Size of one uploaded clip. Depends on resolution, bit rate and length.
s
How fast you need a clip after the event.
channels
Cameras watched live at the same time.
kbit/s
Sub-stream bit rate set in the recorder.
min
Minutes of live view per vehicle per day.
h
Hours the vehicle drives. Enter 0 for a fixed asset.
s
Seconds between position reports.
min
Minutes between heartbeats when parked.
bytes
Including protocol overhead. Use your device datasheet or a SIM data log.
%
Real throughput is a fraction of the 3GPP peak. 40% is a cautious starting point.
Typical value. Replace with your device datasheet value.
How this is calculated
peak uplink needed = max(channels x bit rate, clip size x 8,000 / upload time, telemetry)
planning uplink = 3GPP peak uplink x planning share
fits when needed <= 70% of planning, check up to 100%
data a month = (reports x bytes + clips x size + live minutes x channels x bit rate) x 30
Coverage you have confirmed
| Country | Operator | LTE Cat-1 | Cat-M1 | NB-IoT | Remove |
|---|
Example rows: Not known is the honest default for Cat-M1 and NB-IoT. Ask each operator, and mark Yes only after they confirm it for your area and SIM plan.
The category on the first tab is checked against these marks. Unknown counts as a check, No rules a category out.
Category check3GPP peaks · NB-IoT verify
Coverage marksAs you marked them
Take this to your SIM and device supplier
A report with the needed uplink, the check for each category and your coverage marks.
Category report
Get the category check for your procurement file
- Peak uplink and data a month for your use case
- Throughput, mobility, voice, power and coverage per category
- The suggested category and why
- Coverage marks by country and operator
- Sources to verify before you buy
Three categories
What each category can carry
Peak rates are the most a category can reach on paper. Plan on a fraction of them.
LTE-M (Cat-M1)
3GPP Release 13
- Peak uplink
- 1 Mbit/speak
- Peak downlink
- 1 Mbit/s
- Moving between cells
- Handover supported
- Voice
- VoLTE where the operator offers it
- Power saving
- PSM and eDRX
NB-IoT (Cat-NB1)
3GPP Release 13
- Peak uplink
- 66 kbit/speak
- Peak downlink
- 26 kbit/s
- Moving between cells
- No handover: re-registers on a new cell
- Voice
- No
- Power saving
- PSM and eDRX
Cat-1 and Cat-M1 peaks checked on 2026-11-03 against 3GPP TS 36.306: Cat-1 carries up to 10,296 bits down and 5,160 bits up per 1 ms, Cat-M1 1,000 bits each way. For NB-IoT the specification gives transport block sizes (680 bits down, 1,000 bits up), not kbit/s, so the NB-IoT rates here are secondary figures. Verify them with the operator before you write them into a tender.
Sources (read 2026-11-03): 3GPP TS 36.306 · LTE-M (Wikipedia) · Cat-1, Cat-M and NB-IoT comparison (IoT device maker article)
What does the cellular category selector do?
It turns a use case into a need: how much data a day and how fast the device must upload. It then checks each LTE category for throughput, movement between cells, voice, power and the coverage you have confirmed, and suggests the first category that fits.
Why does the category matter now?
As 2G and 3G networks close, trackers move to LTE. The LTE categories are not the same: a recorder that uploads crash clips needs far more uplink than a fuel-tank monitor, and a moving truck needs handover that a fixed sensor does not.
Inputs you need
| Input | Where to find it | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Clip size and bit rate | Recorder settings or a sample clip | Check the sub-stream, not the main recording. |
| Report intervals and bytes | Device configuration and a SIM data log | Divide a month of data by the number of reports. |
| Coverage marks | Each operator, in writing | Ask for LTE-M and NB-IoT by name, for your area. |
How it is calculated
The needed uplink is the largest of three: live streams (channels x bit rate), a clip uploaded within your time (size x 8,000 / seconds) and position reports. The planning uplink of a category is its 3GPP peak uplink times your planning share. A category fits when the need is within 70% of its planning uplink. NB-IoT does not hand over between cells, so it is ruled out for moving vehicles. Coverage counts only what you marked.
need = max(channels x kbit/s, MB x 8,000 / s, telemetry)
planning = peak uplink x share
fits: need <= 0.7 x planning; check: <= planning; no: above
Worked example
A recorder uploads six 8 MB clips a day, each within 120 s: 8 x 8,000 / 120 = 533 kbit/s. Cat-1 plans at 5,160 x 40% = 2,064 kbit/s, so the need is 26% of it and a clip goes up in about 31 s. Cat-M1 plans at 400 kbit/s, too slow for that clip time. NB-IoT plans at 26 kbit/s and cannot hand over. Cat-1 is suggested. Positions add 1,214 reports of 150 bytes, 0.18 MB a day.
Reading the results
- Fits: every check passes, including coverage you confirmed.
- Check: one point depends on the operator or sits near a limit. Ask before you buy.
- No: a hard limit such as uplink, handover or voice rules the category out.
Assumptions and limits
Peak rates are 3GPP category figures, not field results. Real throughput depends on signal, load and the operator. Bands are a separate check. This tool does not say which operators run LTE-M or NB-IoT: only your marks count. Verify against the current official text and the operator before you write a category into a tender.
Related Tracom solution
A category that matches the device
The cellular module is part of the device you buy. Tell us your use case and countries, and we will tell you which network technologies your Tracom model supports.
- Tracom ST100 an IVMS GPS tracker for vehicles. ST100 (published): supports 2G, 3G and 4G SIM cards. No LTE category is published, so ask Tracom which category a model uses.
- Tracom M1N a mobile DVR (MDVR). Camera options such as DSM/ADAS are confirmed with the Tracom team.
- "No internet? No problem." on-device decisions keep working when the link drops.
- Over-the-air updates managed through the SCMS portal.
What is the difference between Cat-1, Cat-M1 and NB-IoT?
They are LTE device categories. Cat-1 gives the most uplink and full mobility. Cat-M1 is slower, saves power and still hands over between cells. NB-IoT is the slowest, saves the most power and does not hand over.
Can a video recorder work on Cat-M1?
Not for clips or live view at normal sizes. Even a small clip needs more uplink than Cat-M1 offers in practice. Use the first tab with your clip size to see the margin.
Is NB-IoT suitable for vehicle tracking?
Generally no. NB-IoT does not hand over between cells, so a moving device re-registers each time it changes cell. It suits fixed assets that send small messages.
Which operators in the Gulf run LTE-M or NB-IoT?
The tool does not assume any. Ask each operator for your area in writing and mark the answer in the coverage tab. GSMA also publishes a Mobile IoT deployment map that you can check.
Does the category decide the frequency bands?
No. Bands are a separate check: a Cat-1 device with the wrong bands still will not connect. Check bands with the band compatibility tool.
What is Tracom's role?
Tracom makes the devices and can tell you which technologies a model supports. Coverage and SIM plans come from your operator, and the final category choice is yours.
Before you buy for a new network
Match the device to the network you will have
Send us your use case, the countries you run in and what your operators confirmed. We will tell you which Tracom model and network technology fit.
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