If 5G RedCap was the answer to replacing LTE Cat-4 in mid-range IoT devices, eRedCap is the answer to replacing the technology one level below that – LTE Cat-1 and Cat-1bis. And that matters because LTE Cat-1 and Cat-1bis are the workhorses of UK and European IoT deployments right now. Point-of-sale terminals, basic telemetry, fleet tracking, utility metering, asset trackers: most of this runs on Cat-1 or Cat-1bis. eRedCap is the path that takes all of it to 5G, at a cost and complexity level that makes the migration practical.

The specification was finalised in 3GPP Release 18 in June 2024. Chipsets are arriving through 2026 and 2027. Module availability follows in 2027 and 2028. If you are specifying devices today with a five to ten year field life, eRedCap belongs in your hardware evaluation process now.

What eRedCap is

eRedCap stands for enhanced Reduced Capability. It is the second iteration of the 5G NR-Light device category, defined in 3GPP Release 18 and building directly on the Release 17 RedCap foundation. The core change is a further reduction in peak throughput – down to 10 Mbps on both downlink and uplink – which allows for an even simpler hardware design than Release 17 RedCap at an even lower cost.

The practical effect of that throughput ceiling is that eRedCap slots precisely into the performance range of LTE Cat-1 and Cat-1bis, while sitting on 5G SA network infrastructure. You get 5G network features – network slicing, lower latency, enhanced positioning, long-term operator investment – at a cost point that makes sense for the tens of millions of Cat-1 devices currently deployed across European infrastructure.

How eRedCap compares with RedCap and LTE Cat-1

The comparison makes the positioning clear. eRedCap matches LTE Cat-1bis on throughput while gaining every 5G network advantage – and crucially, eliminating the LTE sunset exposure that will increasingly affect Cat-1 and Cat-1bis deployments as operators invest in 5G SA at the expense of 4G infrastructure.

Why eRedCap is more important than RedCap for most IoT deployments

Release 17 RedCap is designed for the mid-range – industrial sensors with high data requirements, surveillance cameras, connected gateways. These are real use cases, but they represent a fraction of the total IoT device population. The far larger segment is the basic telemetry and tracking estate: the POS terminals, the utility meters, the fleet trackers, the environmental sensors. These devices run on Cat-1 and Cat-1bis because 10 Mbps is all they need. eRedCap is the technology built for them.

ABI Research puts the scale of this in market terms: of the 80 million RedCap and eRedCap IoT module shipments forecast through 2029, 56 million – 71% – will be eRedCap. And 62% of revenue from RedCap module sales is projected to come from eRedCap. The volume is in the lower tier, not the upper one.

For UK IoT teams, this is directly relevant. The 2G and 3G sunset cycles already forced one expensive round of device replacement across the IoT estate. The operators investing heavily in 5G SA are building the infrastructure they intend to operate for decades. Devices specified on Cat-1 and Cat-1bis today will face the same sunset pressure within five to ten years. eRedCap provides the migration path – same throughput, same device class, 5G network infrastructure with long-term operator commitment behind it.

The eRedCap ecosystem: where things stand in mid-2026

The 3GPP Release 18 specification was finalised in June 2024. That sets the clock for chipset development, certification, module integration, and eventually device availability – a process that typically takes two to three years from specification to volume hardware.

eRedCap in the UK

The UK’s eRedCap picture is straightforward: the network infrastructure is being built now, and the devices arrive in 2027 and 2028. EE and Vodafone are both live on 5G SA with commercial RedCap services. Three is in active testing. O2 and VMO2 have 5G SA on their roadmaps. The same 5G SA infrastructure that supports Release 17 RedCap supports eRedCap – no additional network investment is required from operators.

For UK IoT buyers and device designers, this creates a planning window. The devices are not here yet, but the network will be ready when they arrive. If you are designing hardware today with a 2027 or 2028 field deployment date, eRedCap is worth factoring into your chipset specification now. If you are deploying Cat-1 or Cat-1bis devices today with a sub-five-year lifecycle, the timeline is fine. If those devices will be in the field in 2032, the eRedCap migration question will arrive before the device lifecycle ends.

The UK’s 5G SA coverage position as of mid-2026 is primarily urban. For deployments in major cities, the coverage picture is workable for both RedCap and eRedCap. For deployments in secondary towns, industrial estates, and rural areas, 4G LTE fallback remains essential and is supported by eRedCap modules in the same way as Release 17 RedCap hardware. The UK market update from March 2026 covers the operator-by-operator 5G SA position in detail, and the UK networks page tracks current deployment status.

Should you specify eRedCap now or wait?

The honest answer depends on your deployment timeline.

If you are deploying now and your device lifecycle is five years or less: Release 17 RedCap hardware is mature and available. The hardware guide covers what is in production. Waiting for eRedCap is not necessary.

If you are designing hardware for a 2027 or 2028 launch: eRedCap belongs in your chipset evaluation. Qualcomm and MediaTek will almost certainly extend their RedCap platforms, which means module integration will be straightforward for anyone already familiar with the Release 17 ecosystem.

If you are currently specifying Cat-1 or Cat-1bis devices for long-lifecycle deployments: the case for eRedCap is strongest here. The throughput match is exact, the 5G network advantages are meaningful, and the LTE sunset risk is real. Engaging with module vendors on eRedCap roadmaps now – even if volume production is 18 months away – puts you ahead of the procurement cycle.

Written by Peter Green. eRedCap specifications reflect the 3GPP Release 18 standard as finalised in June 2024. Market forecasts from ABI Research (September 2024). Commercial availability timelines reflect the state of the ecosystem in mid-2026.