LTE UE Category & Class Definitions

LTE UE (User Equipment) Category & Class Definitions

LTE User Equipment (UE) Categories define the performance capabilities of devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and modems, in an LTE network. These categories specify parameters like maximum data rates, supported modulation schemes, and MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) configurations, ensuring devices meet specific performance standards as defined by the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project).

LTE UE Category for CPEs
CableFree LTE-CPE UE Category defines CPE performance

UE categories and classes ensure compatibility and performance in LTE networks by:

  • Optimising Network Efficiency: Matching device capabilities to network resources, reducing overhead.
  • Supporting Diverse Applications: From high-speed mobile broadband (e.g., Cat 16) to low-power IoT (e.g., Cat M1).
  • Enabling Scalability: Allowing manufacturers to produce devices for specific market needs, from premium smartphones to low-cost sensors.
  • Ensuring Backward Compatibility: Higher categories support features of lower categories for seamless network integration.

LTE UE category definitions

LTE UE Category
LTE UE Category

As shown in the table below, the different LTE categories have a wide range in the supported parameters and performance.

It is also worth noting that UE class 1 does not offer the performance offered by that of the highest performance HSPA category. Additionally all LTE UE categories are capable of receiving transmissions from up to four antenna ports.

User
equipment
Category		 Max. L1
data rate
Downlink
(Mbit/s)		 Max. number
of DL MIMO
layers		 Max. L1
data rate
Uplink
(Mbit/s)		 3GPP Release
NB1 0.68 1 1.0 Rel 13
M1 1.0 1 1.0
0 1.0 1 1.0 Rel 12
1 10.3 1 5.2 Rel 8
2 51.0 2 25.5
3 102.0 2 51.0
4 150.8 2 51.0
5 299.6 4 75.4
6 301.5 2 or 4 51.0 Rel 10
7 301.5 2 or 4 102.0
8 2,998.6 8 1,497.8
9 452.2 2 or 4 51.0 Rel 11
10 452.2 2 or 4 102.0
11 603.0 2 or 4 51.0
12 603.0 2 or 4 102.0
13 391.7 2 or 4 150.8 Rel 12
14 3,917 8 9,585
15 750 2 or 4 226
16 979 2 or 4 105
17 25,065 8 2,119 Rel 13
18 1,174 2 or 4 or 8 211
19 1,566 2 or 4 or 8 13,563
20 2,000 2 or 4 or 8 315 Rel 14
21 1,400 2 or 4 300
22 2,350 2 or 4 or 8 422 Rel 15
23 2,700 2 or 4 or 8 528
24 3,000 2 or 4 or 8 633
25 3,200 2 or 4 or 8 739
26 3,500 2 or 4 or 8 844

More on LTE UE Categories

The following table summarises common LTE UE categories and their specifications (based on 3GPP Release 8 to 15):

UE Category Downlink Speed (Mbps) Uplink Speed (Mbps) MIMO Layers (DL) Max Modulation (DL/UL) Carrier Aggregation
Cat 1 10 5 1 16-QAM / 16-QAM No
Cat 3 100 50 2 64-QAM / 16-QAM No
Cat 4 150 50 2 64-QAM / 16-QAM Yes (2CA)
Cat 6 300 50 2 or 4 64-QAM / 16-QAM Yes (2CA)
Cat 12 600 100 4 256-QAM / 64-QAM Yes (3CA)
Cat 16 1000 150 4 256-QAM / 64-QAM Yes (4CA)
Cat 20 2000 315 8 256-QAM / 256-QAM Yes (5CA)

LTE UE Class Definitions

In addition to UE categories, 3GPP defines specific UE classes for particular use cases, such as Machine-Type Communications (MTC) for IoT devices. These classes have lower performance requirements to support low-power, low-cost devices:

  • Cat 0: Designed for low-cost IoT devices with downlink speeds up to 1 Mbps and uplink speeds up to 1 Mbps, supporting single-antenna operation.
  • Cat M1 (eMTC): Enhanced Machine-Type Communication for IoT, with up to 1 Mbps speeds, low power consumption, and extended coverage.
  • Cat NB1 (NB-IoT): Narrowband IoT for ultra-low-power devices, supporting speeds up to 250 kbps, optimised for massive IoT deployments.

LTE UE category summary

In the same way that category information is used for virtually all cellular systems from GPRS onwards, so the LTE UE category information is of great importance. While users may not be particularly aware of the category of their UE, it will match the performance an allow the eNB to communicate effectively with all the UEs that are connected to it.

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