What does Cat-1bis cost at 10K unit volume?

Cat-1bis modules run $12-20 at 1K+ volume and approach $10 at 50K+. LTE-M multimode modules: $8-15. Cat-4: $20-40. The Cat-1bis module market was $1.14B in 2024, growing at 6.3% CAGR to $1.74B by 2031 (Valuates Reports).

Does Cat-1bis work on any LTE network?

Yes. Cat-1bis runs on standard LTE networks without carrier-side RAN upgrades or LPWA feature licenses. Every LTE network globally can serve Cat-1bis devices. The constraint is band support: ensure your module variant covers target country LTE bands.

When should I choose Cat-1bis over LTE-M?

Choose Cat-1bis when you need >1 Mbps throughput, deploy across markets with inconsistent LTE-M/NB-IoT coverage, or need global roaming without carrier negotiations. Choose LTE-M when battery life is the dominant spec — LTE-M PSM leakage (1-3 µA) is 5-10× lower than Cat-1bis (5-20 µA).

Which Cat-1bis module has the best certification coverage?

Quectel EG915U carries GCF, CE, FCC, RCM (AU/NZ), Anatel (Brazil), UKCA (UK), NCC (Taiwan). SIMCom A7670E/A7676E carries CE-RED, FCC, RoHS, REACH. For 15+ country deployment, Quectel's broader cert portfolio reduces per-market testing costs.

Cat-1bis Is Half the IoT Market Now — Module Options, Carrier Reality, and What It Costs at Volume

2025-06-05 · undefined · Technical Whitepapers

Cat-1bis modules shipped nearly 50% of all cellular IoT units in Q3 2025. Single-antenna LTE at 10 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up, running on standard LTE networks without operator LPWA investment. Quectel holds 36% of the module market. Module pricing at $12-20 in volume. But carrier support isn't uniform and power draw isn't NB-IoT territory. This is the procurement-grade breakdown.

Cat-1bis modules accounted for nearly half of all cellular IoT shipments in Q3 2025, per Counterpoint Research. Not NB-IoT. Not LTE-M. A single-antenna LTE variant standardized in 3GPP Release 13 that sat dormant for years — then exploded when 2G/3G sunsets collided with module price declines below the $15 threshold.

Cat-1bis Is LTE Without the Second Antenna

Cat-1bis is 3GPP Release 13 UE Category 1, single-antenna configuration. Same 10 Mbps downlink, 5 Mbps uplink as dual-antenna Cat-1. Same protocol stack. Same LTE core network compatibility. The difference is one Rx path instead of two — which cuts RF front-end cost, PCB area, and design complexity by roughly 30-40% compared to full Cat-1. Unlike LTE-M, Cat-1bis uses standard LTE bandwidth (up to 20 MHz) and standard LTE scheduling. No operator-side RAN upgrade required. No special feature activation. If an LTE network exists, Cat-1bis works on it.

Module Landscape: Quectel Owns 36%, SIMCom at ~7%, Lierda Growing 69%

Quectel EG915U series dominates the Cat-1bis segment with three regional variants: EG915U-EU (EMEA: B1/3/5/7/8/20/28), EG915U-CN (China/India: B1/3/5/8 + TDD B34/38/39/40/41), and EG915U-LA (Latin America: B2/3/4/5/7/8/28/66). The EG915U draws 1.2-1.6 mA in LTE sleep (PF=256), 13 mA idle, and supports PSM with leakage in the 5-20 µA range. No GNSS on the base EG915U. SIMCom A7670E targets EMEA/Asia (B1/3/5/7/8/20) with built-in GPS/BeiDou/GLONASS. The A7676E adds LTE 450 MHz (B31/B72) for European utility metering. Both support dual SIM and VoLTE, with pin compatibility to SIM7000/SIM7070 (NB-IoT/LTE-M) series. Telit Cinterion grew 13% YoY in 2025. Lierda grew 69% YoY, driven entirely by Cat-1bis demand in Korea and Southeast Asia.

Cost at Volume: The $12-20 Window

Cat-1bis modules price at $12-20 in 1K+ volumes, depending on variant, certification load, and regional band count. LTE-M multi-mode modules (NB-IoT + LTE-M) run $8-15. Cat-4 modules start at $20 and reach $40 with full certification. Cat-1bis sits in a procurement sweet spot: roughly 2× LTE-M module cost for 10× throughput, at roughly half the module cost of Cat-4 for 1/15 the throughput. Valuates Reports estimates the Cat-1bis module market at $1.14 billion in 2024, growing to $1.74 billion by 2031 — a 6.3% CAGR.

Carrier Support: Universal LTE Coverage, But Check the Bands

Cat-1bis works on standard LTE networks. No carrier LPWA deployment required. Every LTE carrier globally can serve Cat-1bis devices without RAN upgrades or special feature activation. The caveat is band support: B1/3/5/7/8/20 covers Europe/Middle East/Asia. Add B28 for LATAM and Oceania. Add B71 for US T-Mobile. Add B18/B19/B26 for Japan. No single-SKU global variant exists — deploy regional variants or accept coverage gaps.

When Cat-1bis Wins — And When It Doesn't

Choose Cat-1bis when you need >1 Mbps, deploy across markets with inconsistent NB-IoT/LTE-M coverage, and can accept moderate power draw. Choose LTE-M when battery life dominates — PSM current on LTE-M (1-3 µA) is 5-10× lower than Cat-1bis (5-20 µA). Choose NB-IoT for static deep-indoor sensors sending <1 KB/day — but verify carrier support per country. Choose Cat-4 or RedCap when throughput exceeds 10 Mbps. The crossover: firmware images >500 KB after delta compression require Cat-1bis or above; quarterly FOTA <100 KB works on NB-IoT or LTE-M.

Procurement Checklist

1. Verify regional band coverage against target countries before selecting module variant. 2. Factor certification load: Quectel EG915U carries GCF/CE/FCC/RCM/Anatel/UKCA/NCC vs SIMCom A7670E CE-RED/FCC. 3. GNSS requirement: EG915U base lacks GPS — use GNSS variant or SIMCom A7670E. 4. Pin migration: SIMCom offers pin-compatible upgrade from SIM800 (2G) or SIM7000 (NB-IoT). 5. Power budget: active current (200-400 mA at 23 dBm Tx) dominates energy budget for frequently-transmitting devices. 6. Multi-vendor: qualify both Quectel and SIMCom — they are not footprint-compatible.

Modules are half the story. The SIM is the other half — an eUICC with multi-IMSI capability switches carrier profiles without physical SIM swaps. For Cat-1bis deployments spanning 20+ countries, eUICC is not optional.