Power consumption
The power consumption of NB-IoT is significantly lower than the previous cellular communication technologies such as 2G/3G or 4G. This makes it more suitable for battery-powered devices. However, compared to traditional fixed network solutions for smart metering, the power consumption of NB-IoT is still higher. This makes it a challenge to build a viable solution for meters with an expected lifetime of 16 years with the same battery. Therefore, the datagram size from a battery-powered device will be smaller than a datagram from a mains-powered device. But it is possible to obtain a battery lifetime of 16 years.
2. 3rd party infrastructure
If you invest in a NB-IoT based solution, you do not own the infrastructure. This means you are wholly dependent on your telecommunication partner to ensure that your requirements for the meter reading performance are met. In case of problems, you will have no options for improving the coverage, making it important to find the right partners when committing to an NB-IoT solution.
3. Different ITU regions
The different telecommunication providers use different frequency bands for their LTE communication in different parts of the world. Supporting NB-IoT worldwide requires a wide portfolio of modems to be fitted in the water meters according to which region they will be installed in.