IoT nb1 vs nb2 Devices Comparison
IoT nb1 vs nb2 Devices Comparison, Narrow Band IoT specifications were first introduced in 3GPP release 13 and then further enhanced in 3GPP release 14 with some essential features. Release 13 NB-IoT device category is referred to as Cat NB1 or Cat N1 and Release 14 devices are referred to as Cat NB2 or Cat N2.
IoT nb1 vs nb2 Devices Comparison.
| Parameter | Cat. NB1 | Cat. NB2 |
| 3GPP Release Specification | Release 13 | Release 14 |
| Operation Mode | FDD | FDD |
| No. of Rx Antenna | 1 | 1 |
| Tx Power Class | 20, 23 dBm | 14, 20, 23 dBm |
| Maximum Channel Bandwidth | 180 KHz | 180 KHz |
| Highest Modulation for UL and DL | QPSK | QPSK |
| Downlink Spatial Layers | 1 | 1 |
| Maximum DL Transport Block (TBS) | 680 bits | 2536 bits |
| No. of HARQ Processes | 1 | up to 2 |
| Peak DL Physical Layer Data Rate | 226.7 Kbps | 282 Kbps |
| DL channel coding type | Tai Bit Convolutional Coding (TBCC) | Tai Bit Convolutional Coding (TBCC) |
| Physical Layer Memory Requirement | 2112 soft channel bits | 7680 soft channel bits |
Additionally Cat NB2 devices has following features which are not available in Cat NB1
- Support of Positioning of Device using OTDOA
- Mobility enhancement from seamless cell re-selection
- Push to talk voice messaging
- New Device Power Class (14 dBm)
- Multicast transmission