What is the primary characteristic of LTE-M compared to NB-IoT?

The primary characteristic of LTE-M compared to NB-IoT is that LTE-M provides higher throughput and lower battery life. LTE-M is designed to handle larger amounts of data transmission, which makes it suitable for applications that require more frequent data uploads, such as real-time reporting. This capability comes at the cost of higher power consumption compared to NB-IoT, which is optimized for devices that prioritize long battery life and can operate with minimal data transmission.

While NB-IoT is better suited for applications that need to send small amounts of data infrequently, which allows for extended battery life, LTE-M targets more data-intensive applications by providing faster data rates. This distinction in use cases is essential, as it determines which technology is more appropriate based on the specific needs of IoT applications.