eRedCap and RedCap are frequently conflated. They are related but distinct specifications at different complexity levels targeting different markets.
RedCap – Release 17
RedCap (Reduced Capability, also called NR-Light) is the 3GPP Release 17 standard. It reduces complexity compared to a full 5G NR smartphone UE but remains a capable device: minimum two receive antennas, 10-20 MHz minimum bandwidth, approximately 150 Mbps peak downlink. RedCap targets wearables, industrial wireless sensors, and video surveillance cameras. Hardware has been commercially available from 2024.
eRedCap – Release 18
eRedCap (enhanced Reduced Capability) takes the complexity reduction further. It specifies a maximum 5 MHz channel bandwidth, restricts antenna configuration to a single receive chain (1T1R), and supports half-duplex FDD operation. Peak downlink is approximately 10 Mbps. eRedCap targets the mass IoT and M2M market – specifically the hundreds of millions of LTE Cat-1 and Cat-1bis devices that need a 5G successor. Hardware expected from 2026.
Key Differences
Bandwidth: 10-20 MHz (RedCap) vs 5 MHz (eRedCap). Antennas: 2 minimum (RedCap) vs 1 (eRedCap). HD-FDD: Not supported (RedCap) vs supported (eRedCap). Peak DL: ~150 Mbps (RedCap) vs ~10 Mbps (eRedCap). Target: Wearables and sensors (RedCap) vs mass IoT replacement (eRedCap).
For the full Release 17 RedCap standard, UK operator deployment and hardware guide, see 5gredcap.co.uk.