Verizon and AT&T Deploy LTE‑M1 to Power Nationwide IoT Coverage

Carrier‑grade, cellular‑based Internet of Things coverage available nationwide

Verizon beat AT&T to the punch, launching its nationwide IoT network on March 31, with AT&T completing deployment in mid‑May. Today, both carriers offer extensive, carrier‑grade LTE‑M1 coverage across the United States, reaching far more customers than proprietary LPWAN networks like LoRa or Sigfox, which require new hardware to be deployed by network providers.

Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)

The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is the global standardization body that defines telecommunications networking technology to ensure worldwide interoperability. Representatives from the telecom ecosystem collaborate to craft network specifications. For their deployments, AT&T and Verizon opted for LTE Cat M1, initially standardized in 3GPP Release 13.

LTE Category M1, also known as enhanced machine‑type communication (eMTC) or LTE‑M, delivers a symmetric peak throughput of 1 Mbps using a 1.08 MHz channel. Both downlink and uplink employ 16‑QAM and 15 kHz tone spacing, with a maximum coupling loss of less than 155.7 dB. LTE‑M1 can be deployed on any existing LTE frequency and activated via a simple software upgrade to current base stations.

Narrowband IoT

LTE Category NB1, or NB‑IoT, offers a downlink throughput of 50 kbps and uplink throughput of 50 kbps for multi‑tone (20 kbps for single‑tone) using a 180 kHz channel. T‑Mobile US announced nationwide NB‑IoT coverage by mid‑2018 and is conducting a pilot in Las Vegas. NB‑IoT has also been selected by Chinese officials as the primary IoT connectivity standard for the country.

LTE Cat M1

Verizon and AT&T’s LTE‑M1 networks bring several key advantages: low‑cost components, long battery life—up to 10 years in power‑saving mode—carrier‑grade security, and support for high‑value use cases such as smart metering for utilities and asset tracking in manufacturing supply chains and logistics. Both carriers offer customizable data plans for enterprises. According to their websites, an IoT device can connect to Verizon’s network for $2 per month and to AT&T’s infrastructure for roughly $1 per month, with discounted long‑term pay‑in‑advance options.

Verizon Network VP Mike Haberman highlighted the company’s achievement in launching nationwide coverage ahead of AT&T.

AT&T VP of IoT Solutions Mike Troiano emphasized the global reach of its IoT solution set, featuring global SIMs and satellite‑augmented LTE coverage.

AT&T provides an end‑to‑end IoT stack. Its M2X platform covers device management, time‑series data, triggers, dashboards, and a RESTful API, targeting large‑scale industrial projects. The newer Flow platform supports rapid prototyping of IoT applications in a web environment and offers open‑source code on GitHub, fostering interoperability.

Verizon’s platform, ThingSpace, complements its network connectivity with code samples, API consoles, SDKs, and tools for device, resource, and process management. ThingSpace also supplies hardware components—sensors, processors, memory—to help developers bring products to market quickly. Both carriers also offer off‑the‑shelf IoT solutions tailored to a wide range of enterprise and industrial needs.

Road to 5G

The long‑term trajectory for cellular‑based IoT is 5G. The standalone 5G New Radio specification, slated for finalization by 3GPP next year, identifies three primary use cases: enhanced mobile broadband, mission‑critical communications, and massive IoT support. 5G envisions a network of networks that can simultaneously and automatically cater to any IoT requirement—from low‑power smart meters to bandwidth‑hungry industrial robotics—by slicing the network into tailored data pipes. This network slicing promises greater flexibility and lower costs for operators and end users alike.

While 5G represents the future, true implementations remain in the pilot stage. The term “5G” alone does not convey specific capabilities; the final performance will depend on carrier‑level deployment choices as much as the standard itself.