Typical output power of the nRF9161

RE: Typical output power of the nRF9161

Michal — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:01:30 GMT

So in general I would recommend doing your own measurements, but I have a few comments:

Peak power is not really the most important thing for excessive power consumption. How often the data is sent, if cellular power saving techniques are used (see https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-3.2.1/page/nrf/protocols/lte/psm.html )
Check the article on power profiling cellular applicaitons: https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-3.2.1/page/nrf/protocols/lte/power_nrf91.html
- It also links to our online power profiler Online Power Profiler for LTE
LTE-M requires more setup time to send a message, but it is much faster than NB-IoT. If you can choose between the two, NB-IoT would be better for very small messages, but the time and power usage increases linearly. Though in practice you are mostly limited by what is being offered in your country/area and in most places you will probably only find LTE-M.

Best regards,

Michal

RE: Typical output power of the nRF9161

Azaro — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:41:44 GMT

And if we talk about a remote device using NBIoT? What are the power levels at which these devices usually operate?

RE: Typical output power of the nRF9161

Carmichaeln — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:58:11 GMT

Hello Michal,

In the practical deployments you've done, what is the average power range in dBm that the nRF9161 typically operates in (e.g., in areas with good coverage), and have you ever had to lock down the maximum power to avoid excessive power consumption? granny game

RE: Typical output power of the nRF9161

Michal — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 22:52:42 GMT

Hello,

[quote user=""]Does anyone know how the output power is managed in real-world deployments, and what the usual power ranges are for IoT devices in practical applications?[/quote]

The output power is determined by the network, so it is hard to say about usual ranges. In places with good coverage the average power will be much lower than in remote places.

Best regards,

Michal