feedback on CAT-M1 (LTE-M) network connectivity for a custom board.

[Dhruvil Levelcon]

We're based in India, developing a custom hardware board, and need to test CAT-M1 connectivity on-device. Since CAT-M1 coverage is limited in India, we're planning to travel to a country with strong CAT-M1 support for testing.

Preference: UAE or nearby countries to INDIA.

Question: Can anyone confirm current CAT-M1 network strength/availability in UAE or neighboring countries? Recommendations for other well-covered CAT-M1 countries near India are also welcome.

Any input on carriers, coverage maps, or firsthand testing experience appreciated.

[Kenneth]

Hello,

The general answer is:

"The GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association) has a mobile IoT deployment map, which lists the deployment of LTE-M and NB-IoT in a country-by-country basis. The map shows which countries support LTE-M, which countries support NB-IoT, which countries support both, and which countries support neither. It is worthwhile to check the map and make sure that the country you intend on deploying your application in is covered by the needed cellular IoT technology.

Although the deployment map depicts coverage over a whole country, the coverage can also vary by region within that country. Therefore you need to check with the specific network operator operating in that area to get a more detailed coverage map."
From: https://academy.nordicsemi.com/courses/cellular-iot-fundamentals/lessons/lesson-1-cellular-fundamentals/topic/lesson-1-network-coverage-globally/#network-coverage 

But I can ask internally if somone may comment based on experience.

Kenneth