After reading this What is the NB-IoT frequency band and frame structure article, you will learn:
What is NB-IoT?
What are the features of NB-IoT?
What are the advantages of NB-IoT design?
What are the network deployment modes of NB-IoT?
What are the NB-IoT frequency bands?
What is the frame structure of NB-IoT?
What is NB-IoT?
NB-IoT is an emerging technology in the IoT field that supports cellular data connectivity for low-power devices over wide-area networks, also known as Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN).
NB-IoT supports efficient connectivity for devices with long standby times and high network connectivity requirements. NB-IoT devices are said to improve battery life by at least 10 years while providing comprehensive indoor cellular data connectivity coverage.
Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) has become an important branch of the Internet of Everything network. Built on cellular networks, NB-IoT consumes only about 180 kHz of bandwidth and can be deployed directly on GSM, UMTS, or LTE networks to reduce deployment costs and enable smooth upgrades.
What are the features of NB-IoT?
NB-IoT has four main features: wide coverage, the ability to support connectivity; lower power consumption; and lower module cost.
What are the advantages of NB-IoT design?
The advantage of NB-IoT design is that it can be deployed in the current LTE network. Only the base station’s and core network’s software need to be upgraded. There is no need to design and build a special network for IoT communication, which can greatly reduce construction costs. The network architecture of NB-IoT is consistent with LTE, with functional optimization and tailoring on the LTE network architecture.
NB-IoT network side interfaces: S1, S6a, S11, S5/S8, Uu. For the data transmission scheme of NB-IoT, 3Gpp introduces two modes: CP mode and UP mode.
What are the network deployment modes of NB-IoT?
NB-IoT supports 3 network deployment methods: Standalone deployment, LTE Guard Band deployment, and LTE In-Band deployment. In these deployment methods, NB-IoT carriers can be deployed on both sides of the GSM spectrum or in the middle of the GSM spectrum.
To avoid mutual interference between NB-IoT and GSM, a certain interval of protection band (100 kHz) is required between the two, which can be deployed independently or inside the UMTS/LTE spare frequency band.
What are the NB-IoT frequency bands?
NB-IoT frequency bands are authorized, like 2G/3G/4G, which are specially planned bands with relatively less interference in the frequency band. NB-IoT frequency bands can be integrated with existing cellular network base stations and are more conducive to rapid mass deployment.
Most operators in worldwide use the 900MHz band as the NB-IoT frequency band, and some deploy in the 800MHz band as the NB-IoT frequency band.
In the 3GPP R16 version, the NB-IoT frequency band is extended to band 1, band 2, band 3, band 4, band 5, band 7, band 8, band 11, band 12, band 13, band 14, band 17, band 18, band 19, band 20, band 21, band 25, band 26, band 28, band 31, band 41, band 42, band 43, band 65, band 66, band 70, band 71, band 72, band 73, band 74, band 85, band 87 and band 88, which are consistent with E-Utran’s frequency bands.
NB1 and NB2 are also available for 5G NR frequency band n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n14, n18, n20, n25, n28, n41, n65, n66, n70, n71, n74, n90. NB-IoT frequency bands can be used in either HD-FDD duplex or TDD mode.
The NB-IoT frequency bands are defined as follows.
E-UTRA Operating Band | Uplink (UL) operating band | Band gap | Downlink (DL) operating band BS transmit UE receive | Duplex Mode | |||||
Bandwidth | Lower |
|
| Bandwidth | Lower |
|
| ||
Band 1 | 60 MHz | 1920 MHz | 1980 MHz | 130 MHz | 60 MHz | 2110 MHz | 2170 MHz | FDD | |
Band 2 | 60 MHz | 1850 MHz | 1910 MHz | 20 MHz | 60 MHz | 1930 MHz | 1990 MHz | FDD | |
Band 3 | 75 MHz | 1710 MHz | 1785 MHz | 20 MHz | 75 MHz | 1805 MHz | 1880 MHz | FDD | |
Band 4 | 45 MHz | 1710 MHz | 1755 MHz | 355 MHz | 45 MHz | 2110 MHz | 2155 MHz | FDD | |
Band 5 | 25 MHz | 824 MHz | 849 MHz | 20 MHz | 25 MHz | 869 MHz | 894 MHz | FDD | |
Band 6 | 10 MHz | 830 MHz | 840 MHz | 35 MHz | 10 MHz | 875 MHz | 885 MHz | FDD | |
Band 7 | 70 MHz | 2500 MHz | 2570 MHz | 50 MHz | 70 MHz | 2620 MHz | 2690 MHz | FDD | |
Band 8 | 35 MHz | 880 MHz | 915 MHz | 10 MHz | 35 MHz | 925 MHz | 960 MHz | FDD | |
Band 9 | 35 MHz | 1749.9 MHz | 1784.9 MHz | 60 MHz | 35 MHz | 1844.9 MHz | 1879.9 MHz | FDD | |
Band 10 | 60 MHz | 1710 MHz | 1770 MHz | 340 MHz | 60 MHz | 2110 MHz | 2170 MHz | FDD | |
Band 11 | 20 MHz | 1427.9 MHz | 1447.9 MHz | 28 MHz | 20 MHz | 1475.9 MHz | 1495.9 MHz | FDD | |
Band 12 | 17 MHz | 699 MHz | 716 MHz | 13 MHz | 17 MHz | 729 MHz | 746 MHz | FDD | |
Band 13 | 10 MHz | 777 MHz | 787 MHz | 21 MHz | 10 MHz | 746 MHz | 756 MHz | FDD | |
Band 14 | 10 MHz | 788 MHz | 798 MHz | 20 MHz | 10 MHz | 758 MHz | 768 MHz | FDD | |
Band 15 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | FDD | |
Band 16 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | FDD | |
Band 17 | 12 MHz | 704 MHz | 716 MHz | 18 MHz | 12 MHz | 734 MHz | 746 MHz | FDD | |
Band 18 | 15 MHz | 815 MHz | 830 MHz | 30 MHz | 15 MHz | 860 MHz | 875 MHz | FDD | |
Band 19 | 15 MHz | 830 MHz | 845 MHz | 30 MHz | 15 MHz | 875 MHz | 890 MHz | FDD | |
Band 20 | 30 MHz | 832 MHz | 862 MHz | 11 MHz | 30 MHz | 791 MHz | 821 MHz | FDD | |
Band 21 | 15 MHz | 1447.9 MHz | 1462.9 MHz | 33 MHz | 15 MHz | 1495.9 MHz | 1510.9 MHz | FDD | |
Band 22 | 80 MHz | 3410 MHz | 3490 MHz | 20 MHz | 80 MHz | 3510 MHz | 3590 MHz | FDD | |
Band 23 | 20 MHz | 2000 MHz | 2020 MHz | 160 MHz | 20 MHz | 2180 MHz | 2200 MHz | FDD | |
Band 24 | 34 MHz | 1626.5 MHz | 1660.5 MHz | 67.5 MHz | 34 MHz | 1525 MHz | 1559 MHz | FDD | |
Band 25 | 65 MHz | 1850 MHz | 1915 MHz | 15 MHz | 65 MHz | 1930 MHz | 1995 MHz | FDD | |
Band 26 | 35 MHz | 814 MHz | 849 MHz | 10 MHz | 35 MHz | 859 MHz | 894 MHz | FDD | |
Band 27 | 17 MHz | 807 MHz | 824 MHz | 28 MHz | 17 MHz | 852 MHz | 869 MHz | FDD | |
Band 28 | 45 MHz | 703 MHz | 748 MHz | 10 MHz | 45 MHz | 758 MHz | 803 MHz | FDD | |
Band 29 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 11 MHz | 717 MHz | 728 MHz | FDD | |
Band 30 | 10 MHz | 2305 MHz | 2315 MHz | 35 MHz | 10 MHz | 2350 MHz | 2360 MHz | FDD | |
Band 31 | 5 MHz | 452.5 MHz | 457.5 MHz | 5 MHz | 5 MHz | 462.5 MHz | 467.5 MHz | FDD | |
Band 32 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 44 MHz | 1452 MHz | 1496 MHz | FDD | |
Band 33 | 20 MHz | 1900 MHz | 1920 MHz | N/A | 20 MHz | 1900 MHz | 1920 MHz | TDD | |
Band 34 | 15 MHz | 2010 MHz | 2025 MHz | N/A | 15 MHz | 2010 MHz | 2025 MHz | TDD | |
Band 35 | 60 MHz | 1850 MHz | 1910 MHz | N/A | 60 MHz | 1850 MHz | 1910 MHz | TDD | |
Band 36 | 60 MHz | 1930 MHz | 1990 MHz | N/A | 60 MHz | 1930 MHz | 1990 MHz | TDD | |
Band 37 | 20 MHz | 1910 MHz | 1930 MHz | N/A | 20 MHz | 1910 MHz | 1930 MHz | TDD | |
Band 38 | 50 MHz | 2570 MHz | 2620 MHz | N/A | 50 MHz | 2570 MHz | 2620 MHz | TDD | |
Band 39 | 40 MHz | 1880 MHz | 1920 MHz | N/A | 40 MHz | 1880 MHz | 1920 MHz | TDD | |
Band 40 | 100 MHz | 2300 MHz | 2400 MHz | N/A | 100 MHz | 2300 MHz | 2400 MHz | TDD | |
Band 41 | 194 MHz | 2496 MHz | 2690 MHz | N/A | 194 MHz | 2496 MHz | 2690 MHz | TDD | |
Band 42 | 200 MHz | 3400 MHz | 3600 MHz | N/A | 200 MHz | 3400 MHz | 3600 MHz | TDD | |
Band 43 | 200 MHz | 3600 MHz | 3800 MHz | N/A | 200 MHz | 3600 MHz | 3800 MHz | TDD | |
Band 44 | 100 MHz | 703 MHz | 803 MHz | N/A | 100 MHz | 703 MHz | 803 MHz | TDD | |
Band 45 | 20 MHz | 1447 MHz | 1467 MHz | N/A | 20 MHz | 1447 MHz | 1467 MHz | TDD | |
Band 46 | 775 MHz | 5150 MHz | 5925 MHz | N/A | 775 MHz | 5150 MHz | 5925 MHz | TDD | |
Band 47 | 70 MHz | 5855 MHz | 5925 MHz | N/A | 70 MHz | 5855 MHz | 5925 MHz | TDD | |
Band 48 | 150 MHz | 3550 MHz | 3700 MHz | N/A | 150 MHz | 3550 MHz | 3700 MHz | TDD | |
Band 49 | 150 MHz | 3550 MHz | 3700 MHz | N/A | 150 MHz | 3550 MHz | 3700 MHz | TDD | |
Band 50 | 85 MHz | 1432 MHz | 1517 MHz | N/A | 85 MHz | 1432 MHz | 1517 MHz | TDD | |
Band 51 | 5 MHz | 1427 MHz | 1432 MHz | N/A | 5 MHz | 1427 MHz | 1432 MHz | TDD | |
Band 52 | 100 MHz | 3300 MHz | 3400 MHz | N/A | 100 MHz | 3300 MHz | 3400 MHz | TDD | |
Band 53 | 11.5 MHz | 2483.5 MHz | 2495 MHz | N/A | 11.5 MHz | 2483.5 MHz | 2495 MHz | TDD | |
Band 64 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| |
Band 65 | 90 MHz | 1920 MHz | 2010 MHz | 100 MHz | 90 MHz | 2110 MHz | 2200 MHz | FDD | |
Band 66 | 70 MHz | 1710 MHz | 1780 MHz | 330 MHz | 90 MHz | 2110 MHz | 2200 MHz | FDD | |
Band 67 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 20 MHz | 738 MHz | 758 MHz | FDD | |
Band 68 | 30 MHz | 698 MHz | 728 MHz | 25 MHz | 30 MHz | 753 MHz | 783 MHz | FDD | |
Band 69 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 50 MHz | 2570 MHz | 2620 MHz | FDD | |
Band 70 | 15 MHz | 1695 MHz | 1710 MHz | 285 MHz | 25 MHz | 1995 MHz | 2020 MHz | FDD | |
Band 71 | 35 MHz | 663 MHz | 698 MHz | 11 MHz | 35 MHz | 617 MHz | 652 MHz | FDD | |
Band 72 | 5 MHz | 451 MHz | 456 MHz | 5 MHz | 5 MHz | 461 MHz | 466 MHz | FDD | |
Band 73 | 5 MHz | 450 MHz | 455 MHz | 5 MHz | 5 MHz | 460 MHz | 465 MHz | FDD | |
Band 74 | 43 MHz | 1427 MHz | 1470 MHz | 5 MHz | 43 MHz | 1475 MHz | 1518 MHz | FDD | |
Band 75 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 85 MHz | 1432 MHz | 1517 MHz | FDD | |
Band 76 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 5 MHz | 1427 MHz | 1432 MHz | FDD | |
Band 85 | 18 MHz | 698 MHz | 716 MHz | 12 MHz | 18 MHz | 728 MHz | 746 MHz | FDD | |
Band 87 | 5 MHz | 410 MHz | 415 MHz | 5 MHz | 5 MHz | 420 MHz | 425 MHz | FDD | |
Band 88 | 5 MHz | 412 MHz | 417 MHz | 5 MHz | 5 MHz | 422 MHz | 427 MHz | FDD | |
What is the frame structure of NB-IoT?
The NB-IoT frame structure is shown in the figure below. At the highest level, it starts with a superframe cycle, where a superframe cycle has 1024 superframes, and each superframe consists of 1024 frames.
A frame consists of 10 subframes, and each subframe is divided into two time slots of 0.5ms each, similar to the conventional LTE system. The NB-IoT design supports 15khz subcarrier spacing in DL and UL, and each frame contains 20 time slots.
In UL, the NB-IoT design supports additional subcarrier spacing of 3.75khz. For this optional subcarrier interval, each frame is divided into five-time slots of 2ms each, without the concept of the subframe.
The upstream and downstream subcarrier spacing 15KHz is shown in the following diagram.
Hyperframe: Hyper System Frame Number (H-SFN), range: 0-1023
Frame System Frame Number (SFN: Frame System Frame Number), range: 0-1023
Subframe: subframe number (SN), range: 0-9
Thus, each subframe can uniquely identify by H-SFN, SFN, and subframe number (SN).
Frame cycle = (No. of Frame in one cycle) x (Duration of one frame) = 1024 x 10 ms =10240 ms = 10.24 seconds
Hyperframe cycle = (No. of Hyperframe in one cycle) x (Duration of one Hperframe) = 1024 x 10.24 s = 104857.60 ms = 2 Hours, 54 minutes, and 46 seconds.
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