When choosing a cellular module, more is not better: oversized modules drive up power consumption, module cost and certification effort. A sober comparison.
The classes compared
- LTE Cat 1 (up to ~10 Mbit/s): telemetry, backup links, wearables
- LTE Cat 4 (up to ~150 Mbit/s): routers, video at moderate resolution
- 5G RedCap: the middle ground in 5G networks — future-proof without full-scale 5G cost
Recommendation
Work backwards from the data profile: payload, transmission interval, latency requirements. Only then pick the module — and think about the antenna question right away.
