Founded 1999 in Germany, Round Solutions is one of the leading pioneers in M2M and IoT technologies. We design, build and distribute the world's most advanced Edge and wireless technologies.
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You’ve probably seen both “LTE” and “4G” on your phone, or even the term “4G LTE.” But what do these terms really mean — and more importantly, does it matter for your business, especially if you're working on IoT solutions? In this article, we’ll clear up the confusion and explain how LTE, 4G, and the latest developments like LTE-Advanced relate to real-world connectivity — and how Round Solutions helps you make the most of them.
4G stands for the fourth generation of mobile communication technology. To officially qualify as 4G, a network must meet certain performance standards — like 100 Mbps while on the move and up to 1 Gbps when stationary. These benchmarks were defined by the ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union-Radiocommunication).
LTE, or Long-Term Evolution, was introduced as the stepping stone from 3G to 4G. It offered a significant speed boost over 3G but didn’t initially meet the full criteria of “true 4G.” That’s why some early versions of LTE were seen as a bridge — and often marketed as “4G LTE” to reflect that advancement.
Today, however, LTE has evolved into LTE-Advanced, which does meet and often exceed the original 4G standards — especially when enhanced with technologies like Carrier Aggregation and MIMO. If you’re using a modern smartphone or IoT module, chances are you're already using LTE-Advanced or a similar high-speed variant.
For business applications, especially industrial IoT, LTE-Advanced is far more than just faster speeds. It ensures low latency, reliable coverage, and supports massive numbers of devices — all critical for applications like smart factories, transportation, logistics, and infrastructure.
Round Solutions offers a wide range of Telit Cinterion LTE modules that are certified, robust, and designed for demanding industrial use cases. Whether you need high-speed LTE-A modules like the LE910C1-WWXD, low-power options like LTE-M, or NB-IoT modules for wide-area connectivity, Round Solutions has you covered — with full support for integration, antennas, and sensor-to-cloud solutions.
No — LTE is here to stay. Even as 5G grows, LTE will continue to serve as a reliable backbone, especially in regions where 5G rollout is still in progress. In fact, many early 5G deployments rely on LTE networks for the core infrastructure (Non-Standalone 5G).
Furthermore, LTE-M and NB-IoT, both based on LTE technology, are purpose-built for IoT. These technologies are ideal for devices that need long battery life, wide coverage, and low data rates — like smart meters, agricultural sensors, and asset trackers.
For everyday users, LTE and 4G have become virtually interchangeable. But for industrial IoT applications, understanding the differences — and choosing the right connectivity — is essential.
With Round Solutions as your partner, you benefit from over two decades of experience in industrial IoT, access to Telit Cinterion’s full LTE and 5G portfolio, and expert support for building scalable, secure, and future-proof IoT solutions.
Founded 1999 in Germany, we are a leading developer of IoT gateways & ODM services and Telit Cinterion's oldest, most trusted and licensed distributor. Round Solutions is proud to announce its partnership with Sunnyway‑IoT, the leading manufacturer of high‑performance IoT antennas in China. This collaboration allows us to offer an expanded range of reliable and innovative antenna solutions tailored to meet the demands of European industries, including automotive, industrial IoT, and smart city applications. Together, we are committed to delivering cutting‑edge technology that enables seamless connectivity and drives the future of IoT in Europe.