AT&T delivering LTE-M network to Mexico this year

Details: James Barton; Category: Enterprise Ecosystems; 15 February 2017; 6469 views

AT&T is aiming to launch an LTE-M network in Mexico by the end of 2017.

The US-based operator is currently deploying the technology in its home market, with the goal of completing a nationwide rollout in Q2 2017. The firm suggested last month that it was looking to expand the network into Mexico and has now confirmed this.

Kelly King, CEO of AT&T Mexico, said: “We fully expect to have nationwide availability of LTE-M technology in Mexico by the end of 2017. This is huge for our enterprise customers. It’s an important step to help accelerate the speed of business.”

AT&T began its domestic LTE-M deployment in October in California, having selected the technology to facilitate widespread IoT functionality. It opted for LTE-M rather than other LPWA (low power wide area) technologies, claiming that it has advantages of rival Internet of Things standards NB-IoT and EC GSM IoT.

All three of these standards have been ratified by standards body 3GPP, although AT&T touts the advantages of LTE-M such as longer lasting battery life, reduced device costs, better in-building and underground coverage, and small module footprint.

Operators have further options in the form of unlicensed IoT networks, including those provided by the LoRA alliance and Sigfox.