and enterprise environments, including reduced cost and complexity, improved power efficiency and scalable connectivity. As a 5G-native technology, RedCap also supports 5G security capabilities, including enhanced subscriber identity protection. However, it’s important to consider where RedCap fits within the broader connectivity landscape. Despite its advantages, RedCap is not intended to replace low-power technologies such as NB-IoT and LTE-M. “In plain English, this is not a funeral announcement for NB-IoT or LTE-M. It is a new design lane,” wrote Kris Boehm, senior security solutions engineer at Aeris Communications in a LinkedIn post. “A lot of low-bandwidth, batterysensitive, long-life devices should stay exactly where they are for now. If a utility sensor, simple meter, environmental monitor, or remote alarm panel only needs tiny payloads, long battery life, and deep coverage, there is no trophy for over-engineering it. But if you are designing or refreshing devices that sit in the messy middle, smart routers, gateways, industrial monitors, telematics units, richer sensors, wearables, portable FWA gear, then RedCap starts looking a lot more interesting.” Boehm also anticipates a prolonged hybrid period approaching, as most companies likely won’t be rushing to replace LPWA in favor of RedCap. “The more realistic picture is a mixed estate for years: NB-IoT and LTE-M where power and simplicity still win, Cat 1 or Cat 4 where legacy designs remain acceptable, and RedCap for new deployments that need more headroom without going full broadband,” Boehm continued. The RedCap Play for Partners While 5G RedCap is still emerging in the channel, it presents a growing opportunity for technology advisors, MSPs and resellers to help customers modernize their wireless infrastructure and manage rising connectivity costs. Manufacturers and distributors are already bringing RedCap-compatible products to market. For example, Digi now offers a RedCap version of its IX25 rugged 5G cellular platform with edge computing, providing an alternative for customers evaluating a transition from 4G LTE. InHand Networks also recently released its new IR602 5G RedCap industrial router to the U.S. market. Partners also can source RedCapcompatible devices through distributors such as NTS Direct, which carries Teltonika’s RUT271 and RUT976 routers. The RUT271 supports up to 50 wireless devices, while the RUT976 supports up to 100. Both are designed to deliver 5G connectivity at a lower cost than full-featured 5G hardware, with the RUT976 offering additional capabilities such as dual SIM support and industrial interfaces. While discussing growing interest in RedCap as an alternative to full 5G in a recent CVTV interview, NTS Direct president Ammar Rezek said, “We are seeing a growing interest in the RedCap space. It brings 5G capabilities where you don’t need 5G — mostly on the IoT side, but there are a lot of use cases where you are able to utilize RedCap instead of 5G.” Operators investing in 5G standalone for public networks, worldwide 0 50 100 150 200 115 1Q23 115 2Q23 121 3Q23 121 4Q23 124 1Q24 143 2Q24 151 3Q24 154 4Q24 163 1Q25 173 2Q25 175 3Q25 181 4Q25 184 1Q26 Source: GSA; as of 3/26 RedCap vs LTE vs 5G eMBB: The Practical Differences Technology Peak Downlink Peak Uplink Latency Device Complexity Power Efficiency Long-Term Viability 5G RedCap ~223 Mbps ~123 Mbps <20ms Moderate High Excellent LTE Cat 4 150 Mbps 50 Mbps ~30-50ms Moderate Moderate Declining LTE Cat 1 10 Mbps 5 Mbps ~30-50ms Low High Declining LTE-M 1 Mbps 1 Mbps ~50-100ms Very Low Very High Good NB-IoT ~250 kbps ~250 kbps ~1-10s Very Low Very High Declining 5G eMBB 1+ Gbps 500+ Mbps <10ms High Lower Excellent Source: Digi International 28 CHANNELVISION | FALL 2026
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