The GSMA Mobile IoT Initiative is the programme that translates 3GPP’s licensed IoT standards into commercially deployable products. Where 3GPP defines the technical specifications for NB-IoT, LTE-M, RedCap and eRedCap, the Mobile IoT Initiative provides the operator certification framework, roaming guidelines, and market positioning that makes devices certified to these standards work globally across competing networks.
The Licensed IoT Standards Family
The Mobile IoT Initiative covers the full licensed IoT hierarchy:
NB-IoT (3GPP Release 13) – Narrowband IoT for ultra-low data rate, extended coverage, deep penetration. Smart meters (gas/water), environmental sensors, basic asset tags.
LTE-M (3GPP Release 13) – Low data rate with voice and mobility support. Wearables, healthcare monitors, connected vehicles requiring voice capability.
RedCap (3GPP Release 17) – Mid-tier 5G NR, approximately 150 Mbps, wearables and industrial sensors. Hardware available from 2024.
eRedCap (3GPP Release 18) – Simplified 5G NR, approximately 10 Mbps, single antenna. LTE Cat-1 replacement for mass IoT. Hardware from 2026.
What the Initiative Provides
The Mobile IoT Initiative provides operator certification programmes so devices know which networks they will work on and under what conditions. It provides interoperability testing between device and network implementations. It provides roaming frameworks so IoT devices can maintain connectivity across multiple operators internationally without bilateral commercial agreements for each operator pair. And it provides market data and commercial guidance through GSMA Intelligence.
For technical details on eRedCap (Release 18), see What is eRedCap?. For UK operator 5G SA deployment status, see eRedCap Networks.