On 8 October, Jim had the privilege to host a GSMA Webinar on RedCap/eRedCap for IoT, with guests from Huawei (Julien Grivolas), AT&T (Steve Hardin), and Ericsson (Patrik Cerwall, also representing the Global mobile Suppliers Association, or GSA).
5G RedCap (Reduced Capability) and the newer eRedCap (enhanced Reduced Capability) will be particularly impactful for IoT, as discussed in this blog. TLDR? RedCap is essentially 4G dropped into a 5G environment, with the added benefit of being a future-proofed approach when 4G networks are inevitably switched off.
Below is a fuller discussion of the topics covered in the webinar.
As 5G continues to evolve, two new technologies, 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability) and eRedCap (enhanced Reduced Capability), are emerging to bridge the gap between high-performance 5G (referred to as ‘legacy New Radio’!) and lower-performance IoT-optimised technologies such as LTE-M and NB-IoT. Both are designed to reduce 5G device complexity for the Internet of Things, lowering costs and energy consumption while maintaining reliable performance for a new generation of connected devices.
Introduced by 3GPP Release 17, 5G RedCap was developed to reduce the hardware and software complexity of standard 5G New Radio (NR). While the name “Reduced Capability” suggests a downgrade, the technology is anything but basic. RedCap devices can deliver download speeds of up to 226 Mbps and upload speeds of 120 Mbps, exceeding LTE Cat 4 performance. They also support 5G Standalone (SA) features such as network slicing and Voice over NR (VoNR), while offering smaller form factors and longer battery life than traditional 5G devices. This makes RedCap particularly attractive for IoT applications that require consistent connectivity and moderate data throughput without the high power draw of full 5G NR.
Building on that foundation, 5G eRedCap, introduced in 3GPP Release 18, takes simplification even further and limits throughput to around 10 Mbps for both uplink and downlink. eRedCap further emphasises cost reduction, energy efficiency, and design simplicity. One of the key advantages of eRedCap is its enhanced power-saving capability: devices can remain in a low-power state for up to three hours, compared to just over ten seconds for RedCap. While eRedCap is slower, it provides speeds comparable to LTE Cat 1, positioning it as an ideal complement to RedCap for mid- to low-tier IoT use cases. Together, these two technologies fill the space between massive IoT (mMTC, comprised of NB-IoT and LTE-M) and full-featured 5G NR, offering a connectivity ladder for the IoT ecosystem.
The types of IoT devices that will benefit most from RedCap include wearables, security cameras, alarm panels, smart grid components, digital signage, industrial gateways, and vehicle telematics. Essentially, any device that needs reliable 5G performance without the cost and power burden of a flagship 5G modem is a candidate for RedCap. Meanwhile, eRedCap will cater to devices that currently rely on LTE Cat 1 or Cat 1bis technologies, such as fleet management systems, smart city applications, and connected consumer electronics.
Global adoption of RedCap is already underway. Several major markets, including China and the United States, have begun deploying the technology at scale, while other regions are expected to follow. As for eRedCap, commercial availability is projected within the next one to two years, following the formal freeze of Release 18 in 2024.
Both RedCap and eRedCap will play a crucial role in helping the IoT ecosystem transition from legacy networks like 2G, 3G, and 4G to 5G SA architectures. They are not replacements for low-bandwidth technologies such as LTE-M and NB-IoT but rather an evolution that enables more advanced IoT use cases to thrive in a 5G environment.
The success of these technologies also depends heavily on the availability of chipsets. Several leading semiconductor vendors have already commercialised 5G RedCap chipsets, enabling dozens of new module designs. These modules are being integrated into IoT devices across multiple verticals. Although eRedCap chipsets are still in development, major suppliers have announced plans to launch them soon, signalling strong momentum for the technology.
Certification is another vital step toward commercialisation. The Global Certification Forum (GCF) approved the first RedCap modules in Q3 2024, with additional certifications now underway through regional bodies such as PTCRB in North America and FCC, CCC, and EC/RED at the national level. Operators are also establishing their own certification programs to ensure interoperability and service quality.
Ultimately, both 5G RedCap and eRedCap rely on the 5G SA network architecture, which means operators must deploy SA networks to unlock their full potential. As this transition accelerates, RedCap and eRedCap will serve as essential enablers for the next phase of IoT, delivering the right balance of speed, cost-efficiency, and power savings to connect billions of devices in the 5G era.
