U.S. telecom giant AT&T has completed its nationwide 4G LTE-M IoT network roll-out ahead of schedule, the company announced, adding that it will expand the IoT network into Mexico as the next step.
U.S. telecom giant AT&T has completed its nationwide 4G LTE-M IoT network roll-out ahead of schedule, the company announced, adding that it will expand the IoT network into Mexico as the next step.
AT&T launched its LTE-M network trial last October, in San Francisco, California and another trial is in Columbus, Ohio.
Telecom company Verizon, however, became the first company to launch commercial LTE-M network in the U.S. two months ago.
After losing the first-mover advantage in the country, AT&T plans to take the advantage in the Mexico market, to help it compete with Verizon.
“We plan to deploy LTE-M across Mexico by the end of 2017 to create a North American LTE-M footprint covering 400 million people,” AT&T said in a statement.
Unlike existing LTE networks, LTE-M uses low-cost modules for IoT devices, and has longer battery life and better connectivity coverage underground and deep inside the building. The network supports large-scale IoT deployments, for smart city, smart metering, asset tracking, and security and alarm monitoring applications.
The new network comes with a new suite of rate plans. Monthly subscriptions starts at US$1.50 per month per device, while yearly, multi-year plans and large device volume commitment provide further discounts. LTE-M modules will be available for as low as US$7.50 per unit, with a SIM card included.
The current IoT starter kit with M14A2A from AT&T will also work with the LTE-M network through an upcoming firmware update.
“Our nationwide LTE-M deployment is another example of AT&T’s continued investment and leadership in IoT,” said Chris Penrose, president of IoT Solutions at AT&T. “We can now reach new places and connect new things at a price that’s more affordable than ever before.”