LTE-M and NB-IoT in unlicensed spectrum?

[panik]

Hi,

I would like to know if I can set the FiPy's Sequans Monarch modem frequency so that LTE-M and NB-IoT is deployed in unlicensed spectrum. According to g01-specsheet.pdf, there is a wide range of frequencies supoorted. Is it possible for example to transmit and receive at 868 MHz?

In regards to NB-IoT and LTE-M network, I am going to connect to my own base station that is fully configurable.

[jcaron]

@panik don’t know about your specific question, but remember that unlicensed doesn’t mean unregulated. Most unlicensed frequency bands have strict regulations, which may involve max power, duty cycles, spread sprectrum, frequency agility, etc. which are very different from what you could expect on licensed bands (as you need to share the frequency with other users in the first case, while you are the sole user in the latter case). Don’t know the specifics of LTE-M or NB-IoT and if they would indeed be compatible with the 868 MHz requirements (which vary by region and by sub-band).

[jmarcelino]

Hi @panik,

The LTE modem only support bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 28 you cannot set the frequency arbitrarily.

None of those are in - or confined to - ISM spectrum.

There is a relatively new standard called LTE-U to operate LTE in unlicensed spectrum (usually coexisting with WiFi at 5Ghz), but we don't support it.