Connectivity is the decision that quietly sets the ceiling on everything else about an asset tracker: how long the battery lasts, how much the device costs to run, whether it works in a shipping container mid-ocean, and whether you need to build a network of your own before a single unit works.
There is no universally best choice — only the right fit for a scenario. This is how the mainstream options compare.
The starting point: 2G is going away
Many legacy cold chain devices still run on 2G because it was cheap, low-power and had excellent coverage. That is changing fast. Operators across Europe, North America and much of Asia-Pacific have sunset or announced sunset dates for 2G, and the coverage that remains is thinning.
If you are specifying hardware today, treat 2G as a migration problem, not a design option. The realistic candidates are LTE Cat.1, LTE Cat.M1 (LTE-M), NB-IoT and LoRa.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | 4G Cat.1 | LTE-M (Cat.M1) | NB-IoT | LoRa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Reuses existing 4G footprint — widest | Good, but network-dependent | Strong penetration indoors and underground | Only where you build gateways |
| Data rate | Up to ~10 Mbps — supports firmware OTA easily | ~1 Mbps — comfortable for telemetry | Tens of kbps — small payloads only | Very low — bytes per message |
| Power draw | Highest of the four | Low | Lowest | Comparable to NB-IoT |
| Battery life | Weeks to months at frequent reporting | Months to a few years | Multiple years at low duty cycle | Multiple years |
| Latency | Low | Moderate | High (not for real-time tracking) | Low within gateway range |
| Mobility / handover | Full mobility, works while moving | Limited but usable | Poor — designed for stationary devices | Requires contiguous gateway coverage |
| Recurring cost per device | Highest (data plan + module) | Low | Lowest | No SIM cost; gateway cost instead |
| Infrastructure needed | None beyond SIM | None beyond SIM | None beyond SIM | You deploy and maintain gateways |
How to read that table
Choose 4G Cat.1 when the asset moves. A tracker on a reefer container crossing borders needs to attach to whatever network is available, hand over between cells, and ideally receive firmware updates over the air. Cat.1 is the pragmatic default for mobile cold chain: it rides on the existing 4G footprint, supports real-time reporting, and firmware OTA is painless. The trade-off is power and cost per unit, which is why it rarely makes sense for a device you want to run for five years on one battery.
Choose LTE-M when you need years of battery but still want mobility. LTE-M sits between Cat.1 and NB-IoT: lower power than Cat.1, better handover and latency than NB-IoT. For pallet trackers that move through a supply chain but report infrequently, it is often the sweet spot. Availability varies by market, so verify your target regions first.
Choose NB-IoT when the device is stationary and the battery must last. NB-IoT excels at deep indoor penetration — basements, containers, warehouses — and is the most power-efficient cellular option. What it is not good at is moving: handover is poor and latency is high, so it suits fixed sensors and meters far better than trackers on the move.
Choose LoRa when you control the site. LoRa needs no SIM and no operator: you deploy gateways and the devices talk to them. Inside a warehouse or a yard this is extremely cost-effective per point, and you already have power and network for the gateways. The catch is that coverage exists only where you built it — useless for a container heading overseas.
A useful shorthand: mobility favours Cat.1, longevity favours NB-IoT, and a fixed site favours LoRa. Most real deployments need more than one — which is why a hardware platform that spans all of them saves you from maintaining three separate integration paths.
Decision checklist
- Does the asset move between sites? If yes, cellular with handover — Cat.1 or LTE-M.
- How often must it report? Frequent reporting rules out NB-IoT's high latency and most LoRa setups.
- How long must the battery last? Years on one cell points to NB-IoT or LoRa, not Cat.1.
- Will the device be indoors or shielded? Deep penetration favours NB-IoT.
- Do you want over-the-air updates? That needs meaningful bandwidth — Cat.1 or LTE-M.
- Do you control the site and its power? If yes, LoRa's economics are hard to beat.
- Which regions must you cover? Not every technology is certified or deployed everywhere — check before you design.
One platform, several radios
The reason this decision feels hard is that most integrators end up needing two or three of these technologies across their fleet. Specifying them from separate vendors means separate firmware, separate protocols and separate integration work.
AOVX builds G, A, L and E Series devices across 4G Cat.1, Cat.M1, NB-IoT and LoRa variants on a shared platform — so container trackers, pallet trackers and warehouse sensors speak the same protocol and integrate once. Regional variants are matched to your deployment markets, and every device ships with documented payload formats.
Not sure which radio fits your deployment?
Tell us how your assets move, how long they must last and where they operate — we'll recommend the right variant and send the specification.
Talk to Our Engineers →