LTE Categories

You may have heard the term “Cat” before when it comes to Ethernet cables (e.g. Cat 5, Cat 6), but what about when someone is talking about cellular? “Cat” refers to the category of a 4G LTE modem (5G does NOT use categories). 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) is a cellular technology in which both voice and data service can operate.

Categories are used to define the performance specs of the LTE device. They range from 1 to 22 and differ with regards to the frequency band support as well as the upload and download speeds they are capable of running. For example, Cat 1 modems can download at up to 10 Mbps (megabits), while Cat 22 modems are going to receive download speeds of up to 4 Gbps (gigabits).

Cat 6

These are the first modems that support LTE Advanced technology. This means they are capable of carrier aggregation - the modem can connect to multiple frequency bands simultaneously. They are also generally capable of being used worldwide because of their frequency band support. This makes them popular for users who want to be able to work from the road. Like lower category modems 3 and 4, Cat 6 is also a common choice for home and small business use.